Alpine, TX— The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team erased an 11-point deficit in the final 10 minutes of the game as the Cru posted a 60-58 comeback victory over Sul Ross State University Saturday afternoon in Alpine. The 9th-ranked UMHB men improve to 20-1 overall and 16-1 in American Southwest Conference play with the win. The Lobos fall to 5-16 overall and 5-12 in the ASC on the season with the loss.
UMHB trailed 44-33 with 9:37 remaining in the game, but the Cru went on a 12-0 run to grab a 45-44 lead with 6:59 left to play. There would be three ties before James Allen hit back-to-back three's to give UMHB a 55-51 lead. Sul Ross tied the game again with four straight free throws and Damian Davis and Colton Thompson traded baskets to make it 57-57 with 1:34 to go. Brian Todd's jumper put the Cru up 59-57 with 1:07 on the clock. Thompson hit one of two free throws to cut it to 59-58 before Kitrick Bell hit one of two from the stripe to push the UMHB lead to 60-58. Jordan Merchant tried a three to give the Lobos a lead with eight seconds left, but his shot was off the mark as the Cru held on for the win. UMHB trailed 33-23 at halftime after shooting just 33 percent in the first half.
Allen led the Cru with 17 points. Todd and Cory Meals added 10 points apiece and Bell pulled down a team-best eight rebounds. UMHB shot just 38 percent in the game and went 5-21 from three-point range. The Cru held a slight rebounding edge 33-31 and forced 24 Lobos turnovers.
Bralyn Thomas led Sul Ross State with 17 points on 5-8 shooting. Darrell Gardner added 10 points off the bench and was the only other Lobo to reach double figures. Sul Ross shot 58 percent from the field in the first half and hit 10-19 from three-point range in the game.
The Cru will now return home for a three-game home stand. That stretch will begin with a 7:30 PM tip-off against Hardin-Simmons University on Thursday at the Mayborn Campus Center. UMHB can clinch the ASC West Division title and earn the right to host the ASC Championship Tournament for the third time in the last five years with a win over the Cowboys.