Richardson, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team went into the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament  with an eight-game winning streak, but the Cru cooled off at the wrong time in an 81-71 loss to Louisiana College in the opening round Friday in Richardson. UMHB's season ends at 17-9 as the Cru will miss the NCAA Division III National Championships for just the second time in the last eight seasons. The Wildcats improve to 12-13 on the year and advance to Saturday's ASC Semifinals with the victory.

The Cru fell behind early after a cold-shooting start to the game, but fought back for a 33-31 lead with 22 seconds left in the first half. LC used Dylan Brewer's three-pointer at the buzzer to take a 34-33 halftime lead and seize the momentum. The Wildcats pushed the lead to eight points at 48-40 early in the second half, but UMHB used five free-throws from Russell Green, Kevin Waller and Antonie Chaney and James Allen's lay-up to cut it to 48-47. Louisiana College exploded for a 14-3 run to stretch the lead to 12 points and UMHB never got closer than four points the rest of the way.

Allen and Jerard Graham led the Cru with 19 points apiece, Kitrick Bell added 12 points and 12 rebounds and Chaney had 10 points off the bench. UMHB shot just 38 percent from the field and went 3-19 from three-point range. The Cru also hit just 61 percent from the free-throw line and lost the rebounding battle 45-39 to LC.

Doc Welch led a balanced Wildcat scoring effort with 17 points. Brewer and Kevin Lewis added 16 points apiece and Raheem Regis chipped in 12 more. Louisiana College shot a blistering 57 percent from the field in the second half and finished at 48 percent for the game. The Wildcats also hit 8-20 from beyond the arc in the win.

The loss closes out the careers of four UMHB seniors: James Allen, Kitrick Bell, Antonie Chaney and Sheldon Jones. Allen finishes his career as the Cru's Division III era career leader in games played, scoring, steals, free-throws made and three-pointers made. Bell was UMHB's Division III era leader in career rebounds. The first round loss marks the earliest exit for the Cru from the ASC Championship Tournament since a first-round loss to Mississippi College in the 2006 ASC Tournament.