Clarksville, AR – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team built a double-digit second-half lead and then held on as the Cru posted a 79-69 victory over the University of the Ozarks Thursday night in Clarksville, Arkansas. The UMHB women have won six straight games and 13 of their last 14 to improve to 15-7 overall and 15-4 in American Southwest Conference play on the season. The loss drops the Eagles to 8-14 overall and 7-12 in the ASC on the year.
The two teams traded leads throughout the first half with the Cru building its biggest advantage at 38-32 with 1:23 left in the half. UMHB would hold a 38-34 edge at halftime after three ties and six lead changes in the first period. The Cru stormed out to grab a 49-39 lead early in the second half, but the Eagles chipped away to cut the gap to 49-47. UMHB would score seven of the next eight points and led by at least six points the rest of the way to the victory.
Jovana Miles led the Cru with 18 points on 8-9 shooting and she added five rebounds. Alyssa Dean had 15 points and nine boards and Jonelle Smith posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Macy Moore had 13 points and Bridjai Chaney chipped in 11 more off the bench. UMHB shot 45 percent from the field in the game and out rebounded Ozarks 45-34 in the win.
Taylor Farmer topped Ozarks with 17 points and she also had eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Tamara Wilkett scored 12 points, Ashley Hipps added 11 and Jordana Andrews also reached double figures with 10 for the Eagles. Ozarks also shot 45 percent from the floor, but gave up 18 offensive rebounds to UMHB.
The Cru women will close out their road trip with a 1:00 PM tip-off at ASC leader U.T.-Tyler on Saturday. The Patriots have a two-game lead over UMHB with three games remaining in the regular season. The Cru will close out the regular season with home games against Hardin-Simmons and U.T.-Dallas next week at the Mayborn Campus Center.