Longview, TX— The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team led for all but 17 seconds of the first half, but the Cru women were unable to hold the lead in the second half in a 56-47 loss to LeTourneau University Thursday night in Longview. The loss drops the UMHB women to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in American Southwest Conference play on the season. LeTourneau improves to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in ASC play with the victory.
The Cru scored the game's first three points before LeTourneau answered with a 4-0 run to take a 4-3 lead. That lead lasted 17 seconds before Miranda Shorter put UMHB back on top with a jumper. The Cru lead would grow to as many as eight points in the first half before the Yellow Jackets cut it to 24-20 at halftime. LeTourneau heated up in the second half and took the lead at 29-28 early in the second half. The lead would stretch to five points before the Cru battled back to tie the game at 39. The Yellow Jackets answered with a 5-0 run and UMHB could not get closer than five points the rest of the way.
Brittany Zamora led the Cru with 11 points and was the only player to reach double figures for UMHB. She added team-bests with six rebounds and six assists. Miranda Shorter chipped in eight points.
DeShante Thomas was the only player in double figures for LeTourneau and she posted a double-double off the bench with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Sharday Cotton added nine points and nine boards for the Yellow Jackets.
LeTourneau shot 58 percent from the field in the second half and out rebounded UMHB 48-32. The Cru shot just 27 percent from the field and went 3-18 from three-point range.
UMHB will continue its road trip with a 1:00 PM tip-off at U.T.-Tyler on Saturday. The Cru will then take off a week for finals before opening ASC West Division play at Concordia Texas on Saturday, December 10th.