ABILENE, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team earned an 89-84 win over East Texas Baptist University in the 2026 ASC Semifinals, earning a spot in the 2026 Championship match.  
 
ETBU led early but UMHB took the lead off a Hudson Johnson layup at 15:04. The Cru held the high ground until 13:11 when the Tigers evened the contest at 14 with a Jack Pease three-pointer. ETBU took a five-point lead but the Cru answered, tying the contest again at 19.
 
Play continued in back-and-forth action with the Cru pulling ahead late. UMHB held a seven-point margin with 3:41 to play and stayed in top, cruising to a 45-39 halftime advantage.
 
ETBU opened the second half with back-to-back threes, tying the contest at 47.
 
UMHB led for most of the second half but the Tigers were persistent in pursuit, pulling within one with 6:37 to play. The Tigers followed with a layup to go ahead but Elijah Lawrence quickly responded, putting the Cru back on top with 5:44 to go. Donta Coady hit a three at 4:44, followed by an ETBU layup for a two-point lead.
 
UMHB held an 84-80 lead with 1:22 to play. Shad Levy hit a dunk for the Tigers at 00:52 before a Zach Engels free throw made it a three-point game. Coady and Hudson Johnson each made a foul shot before the Tigers hit another dunk to cut the gap back to three. Johnson put the game away for the Cru, making two free throws at 00:04 for the 89-84 win.
 
Hudson Johnson led the Cru with 28 points, followed by Elijah Lawrence with 14 and Zach Engels with 12. UMHB shot 41 percent in the contest with 36 second-chance points and 50 points in the paint. Connor Zamiara was the Cru's leading rebounder, tallying 15 while Grant Jessen added nine.
 
UMHB returns to action in the 2026 American Southwest Conference Championship on Saturday, February 28^th on the campus of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.