Belton, TX— The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team shook off a sluggish start and dominated the final minutes of the game as the Cru rolled to a 75-63 victory over Mississippi College in the first round of the American Southwest Conference Tournament Friday in Belton. UMHB improves to 25-1 on the season with the victory. The loss ends the Choctaws season at 9-16.
UMHB missed its first ten shots from the field and went scoreless for the first 6:38 of the game before Cory Meals hit a three-pointer. The Cru fought back from an early 7-0 deficit and grabbed a 28-17 lead before the Choctaws closed the first half with a 4-0 run to make it 28-21 UMHB at the break. MC would get back to within one point at 43-42 with 9:55 remaining. Brian Todd's lay-up started a 12-3 run as the Cru pushed the lead back to double figures. The lead would grow to as many as 19 points in the final minutes as UMHB put the game away.
Marlon Miller erupted for 24 second-half points and led all scorers with 29 for the Cru. Damian Davis added 14 points off the bench. UMHB shot 44 percent from the field and hit 53 percent in the second half.
Brandon Blake led the Choctaws with 20 points. He scored 18 of those in the second half after sitting out much of the first half with foul trouble. Trevon Malone added 18 points for Mississippi College and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. The Choctaws shot 42 percent from the field and turned the ball over 19 times.
The Cru will now advance to a 4:30 PM semifinal game tomorrow against McMurry University. The War Hawks are the only team to beat UMHB this season. Mississippi College was in the ASC Tournament for the 14th straight year and is the only school to qualify for every ASC Tournament.