Belton, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team stormed back from a 17-point first half deficit to grab a lead, but could not hold on to it in the final seconds as the Cru was edged by LeTourneau University 63-62 Thursday night in Belton. UMHB loses for the sixth straight time to fall to 3-8 overall and 0-2 in American Southwest Conference play on the season. The YellowJackets improve to 5-9 overall and 3-3 in the ASC on the year with the victory.

LeTourneau controlled the early going, scoring the game's first five points and building a 32-15 lead with 6:12 remaining in the first half. The Cru closed the half with a 12-2 run to cut it to 34-27 LeTourneau at the half. That strong play continued into the second half as Avery Polchinski scored 11 straight points for UMHB to give the Cru its first lead of the game at 49-46 with 12:05 left to play. UMHB stretched it out to a 56-49 lead with 8:37 to go, but LeTourneau used an 11-2 run to take a 60-58 lead with 2:20 on the clock. Polchinski's lay-in tied the game at 60 just 19 seconds later before LeTourneau hit one of two free throws and added a Christian Seidl lay-up to take a 63-60 lead. Polchinski added a runner in the paint to cut it to 63-62 with 29 seconds left. The YellowJackets missed the front end of a one-and-one with 24 seconds left and missed two more free throws following a Cru turnover with 3.9 to play. Daniel Mills would have a chance for a desperation three at the final buzzer but was off the mark for the Cru.

Polchinski matched his career-high with a team-best 17 points for UMHB. He was 7-10 from the field and 3-5 from the three-point line and scored all 17 of those points in the second half. Mills added 11 points. The Cru out rebounded LeTourneau 45-32 but committed 23 turnovers and were whistled for ten offensive fouls. UMHB also hit just 6-13 from the free-throw line, but did shoot 48 percent from the field as a team.

Seidl led LeTourneau with 12 points and C.J. Edwards and Jeff Martin chipped in 11 points apiece. The YellowJackets hit nine three-pointers in the game with six of those coming in the first half. LeTourneau shot 37 percent as a team to help overcome 6-15 free throw shooting.

Thursday night's game opens a stretch that will see the UMHB men play six out of seven games at home. The Cru returns to action with a 3:00 PM home game against U.T.-Tyler this Saturday.