BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team earned a 56-49 win over East Texas Baptist University Saturday afternoon in Belton.
 
The first quarter played back-and-forth with a 9-9 knot at 4:45. Amillion Fowler hit a pair of foul shots to put the Cru up but the Tigers answered, taking a four-point lead at 1:21. Both teams scored another basket, ending the frame in a 17-13 Tiger lead.
 
UMHB tied the contest at 19 in the second quarter and again at 21 before the Tigers used a seven-point run to pull ahead at the 4:08 mark. The game went scoreless until the Tigers broke the drought at 00:35 with a foul shot. Natalia Galvan ended the half with a three-pointer, pulling the Cru within five with a 29-24 halftime score.
 
Natalie Galvan led the Cru with nine points while Rachel Okoye added four in the first half.
 
Galvan opened the third quarter with a three-pointer, pulling the Cru within two. The Tigers created distance off a pair of layups and held the high ground until the 3:25 mark when Katelen Brooks hit a three for a 41-40 UMHB advantage. The lead toggled but the Cru answered again, going into the fourth with a one-point lead.
 
ETBU took a quick lead in the final quarter but UMHB answered, going ahead by as many as seven in the first five minutes. The Tigers pulled within four but a pair of foul shots from Karlee Cronk extended the lead to six in the final 30 seconds of action and the Cru held on for the 56-49 win.
 
Galvan led the Cru with 19 points while Karlee Cronk finished with 11. Cronk also finished a double-double with 13 rebounds, followed by Rachel Okoye with five. Galvan, Josie Bruder and Okoye each had three assists while Marissa Hernandez totaled three steals.
 
UMHB returns to action on Tuesday, February 17^th in a 5 p.m. contest at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.