Seguin, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team went ice-cold in the game's final 15 minutes and watched a 20-point lead slip away in an 80-75 loss to Texas Lutheran University Saturday afternoon in Seguin. The loss ends the Cru's season at 6-19 overall and 5-16 in American Southwest Conference play. Texas Lutheran finishes the year at 7-18 overall and 6-15 in ASC play.

UMHB dominated the first half, shooting 49 percent from the field and building a 46-33 halftime lead. The Cru pushed the lead to 24 points at 57-33 early in the second half and led 61-41 with 14:50 remaining in the game. UMHB would score less than a point a minute the rest of the way, going 6:37 without scoring as Texas Lutheran used a 25-4 run to take the lead. Rebecca Valdez hit a free-throw with 5:05 to go to put the Bulldogs up 66-65. UMHB would retake the lead 73-72 on Miranda Shorter's jumper with 2:31 on the clock and Shorter's lay-up made it 75-74 UMHB with 2:04 remaining. The Bulldogs held the Cru scoreless the rest of the way, closing the game on a 6-0 run to take the victory.

Lauren Reece led UMHB with 19 points, but 14 of those came in the first half. Shorter added 17, Brittany Zamora scored 15 and Gabby Guzman also reached double figures with 12 points. Reece and Brandy Dittert pulled down seven rebounds apiece to lead the Cru. UMHB shot 41 percent for the game and went 7-21 from three-point range.

Valdez topped TLU with 28 points and Katy Scott poured in 19 more. Kimberly Hagan had 12 points and seven rebounds for the Bulldogs. TLU shot 56 percent from the field in the second half and finished at 49 percent for the game. The Bulldogs also went 24-25 from the free-throw line compared to 8-11 for UMHB.

The loss also closes out the careers of UMHB seniors Reece, Shorter and Zamora. The Cru missed the ASC Championship Tournament for the first time in the last seven seasons this year despite winning four of its last seven games.