ABILENE, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team fell to No. 1 seed Hardin-Simmons University in the American Southwest Conference Semifinal Friday in Abilene.
The first quarter played in one-possession action for the duration of the frame. Hardin-Simmons took a four-point lead off a layup at 1:37 but UMHB quickly answered, pulling back within two at 1:14, ending the quarter in a 15-13 HSU advantage.
The Cowgirls used back-to-back buckets in the second quarter to take a four-point lead but
Amillion Fowler responded with a layup to cut the gap back down to two. HSU answered with a pull-up jumper but a
Karlee Cronk three-pointer at 4:43 dwindled the lead back down to one. The frame played scoreless for over a minute and a half until the Cowgirls ended the drought with a layup at 3:08. After a tied 25-25 knot, the Cowgirls made a pair of layups, followed by a free throw for a five-point margin.
Natalia Galvan made one foul shot at 0:32 to cut the Cowgirl lead to four at the half.
Josie Bruder and
Karlee Cronk led the Cru with eight points each while
Rachel Okoye added a team-high five rebounds in the frame.
The Cowgirls extended the lead to 10 off a jumper from Jacqueline Berry with 6:44 to play in the fourth. Hardin-Simmons led by as many as 15 in the frame, taking a nine-point lead into the fourth quarter.
UMHB cut the lead to four with a layup from
Amillion Fowler at the 8:55 mark of the fourth quarter.
Karlee Cronk followed with a three, pulling the Cru within one. The Cowgirls responded with a 12-0 run, not allowing the Cru another point until the 00:48 mark when Fowler made another layup. The Cowgirls maintained the double-digit margin, ending the contest in a 69-55 HSU win.
Rachel Okoye led the Cru with 16 points, followed by Cronk with 14 and Fowler with 10. Cronk and Okoye both finished with double-doubles, bringing down 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively.
UMHB ends their 2025-26 season with an 8-18 overall record. The Cowgirls advance to the ASC Championship on Saturday, February 28
th.