Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team saw a double-digit first half lead disappear, but the Cru battled back before pulling away late in a 71-53 victory over Edgewood College Saturday night in Belton. The win came in the finale of the Cru Holiday Classic. UMHB moves to 9-2 on the season with its eighth straight victory. The loss drops the Eagles to 2-11 on the season.

The Cru scored the game's first 11 points and built a 23-9 lead early in the first half. Edgewood answered with a 16-2 run to tie the game at 25 with 5:06 remaining in the first half. The Eagles took their only lead at 28-27 before UMHB closed the half with a 9-4 run, capped by Antonie Chaney's steal and three-pointer at the buzzer to take a 36-32 halftime lead. Edgewood cut it to 36-34 in the early going in the second half, but the Cru once again answered. An 11-3 run took the lead back to double digits and the Eagles would not get closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Cory Meals led a balanced UMHB scoring attack with 17 points and James Allen added 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Thomas Orr and Russell Green scored 11 points apiece and Kitrick Bell also reached double figures with 10 for the Cru. UMHB shot 51 percent from the field and forced 18 turnovers in the victory.

Joe Klocek had 12 points to lead the Eagles on 5-9 shooting. Dylan Rusch chipped in 11 and Cashton Craig scored 10 points for Edgewood. The Eagles shot 40 percent from the field and went just 2-7 from the free-throw line in the loss.

The Cru will return to action with a return to American Southwest Conference play next week. UMHB will play road games at East Texas Baptist University and the University of Texas at Tyler next weekend. The Cru men play just two home games in the month of January.