Belton, TX— The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team hit clutch free throws in the final seconds after erasing a double-digit second half deficit as the Cru held on for a 63-62 win over Schreiner University Thursday night in Belton. UMHB improves to 6-18 overall and 5-15 in American Southwest Conference play with the victory. The loss drops the Mountaineers to 7-17 overall and 5-15 in the ASC on the year. 

Schreiner built a 40-30 lead with 13:46 remaining in the game before the Cru erupted for an 18-6 run to take a 48-46 lead on Miranda Shorter's three-pointer with 5:23 left to play. The UMHB lead would grow to six before Schreiner battled back. Olivia Swarner's jumper with 1:03 on the clock put the Mountaineers up 57-56. Shorter hit another three to give the Cru a 59-57 lead. Schreiner tied it again before Shorter found Lauren Reece for a wide-open lay-up with 47 ticks remaining. Zamora added a free-throw to make it 62-59 with nine seconds left. Karisa Cantu's three-pointer tied the game at 62 with three seconds left, but Schreiner immediately fouled Zamora. She hit the first free-throw with 1.7 left, but missed the second. Schreiner called a time out to set up for a last shot before Shorter stole the in-bounds pass to ice the win.

Zamora led UMHB with 22 points and Shorter added 14. Carmen Maciel had nine points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Cru. UMHB shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half and finished at 38 percent for the game. UMHB hit 22-28 from the free-throw line.

Swarner topped Schreiner with 22 points and 12 rebounds and Cantu had 14 points. The Mountaineers shot 40 percent from the field and out rebounded the Cru 42-29.

The game was the final home game for Cru seniors Shorter, Zamora and Reece. UMHB will close out the season with a 1:00 tip-off at Texas Lutheran University Saturday in Seguin.