San Antonio, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team stormed back from a double-digit deficit and clutch free throws in the final seconds were the difference as the Cru posted a 71-70 victory over Trinity University Sunday evening in San Antonio. UMHB evens its record at 2-2 on the season with the win. The loss drops the Tigers to 2-3 on the year.
The Cru's trailed the entire first half and fell behind by 16 points before going into halftime down 38-25. UMHB clawed its way back and closed to within 43-41 on Aubrie King's three-pointer with 15:03 left to play. Trinity stretched the lead back out to as many as 12 points and still had a 10-point edge with 5:59 remaining in the game. King's three-pointer and six consecutive points from Braden Hammond pulled the Cru within 70-69 with 1:17 to go. Austen Stolte blocked a Tiger layup at one end to give UMHB a shot to take the lead, but an offensive foul gave the ball back to Trinity with 21.7 seconds left. A foul punt Trinity at the line with 20 seconds remaining, but Aaron Knopp missed the front end of an one-and-one. Hammond snatched the rebound, drove the length of the floor and was fouled with 10 seconds on the clock. He calmly sank both free throws to give UMHB its first lead of the night. Trinity missed a potential game-winning shot at the other end, but King was tied up on the rebound, giving the Tigers one final chance with .9 seconds to go. A desperation shot was off the mark as the Cru completed the comeback for the win.
King led UMHB with a career-high 22 points and he hit 6-14 from three-point range. Hammond added 15 points, Cress scored 12 and Keenan Holdman chipped in a career-high 11 points. Stolte, Avery Polchinski and King all grabbed seven rebounds apiece for the Cru. UMHB shot 44 percent from the field and hit 52 percent in the second half. The Cru out rebounded Trinity 40-36 in the victory and blocked seven Tiger shots.
Isaiah Specks had a team-high 17 points for Trinity and Danny Rivara added 14 more along with a game-high 10 rebounds. Matt Jones also reached double figures with 12 points. Trinity shot 50 percent from the field in the first half, but was held to 37 percent in the second half.
UMHB will continue its road swing with the American Southwest Conference opener on Tuesday night. The Cru will travel to Clarksville, Arkansas to face University of the Ozarks in a 7:30 PM tip off that night.