Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team overcame a double-digit first half deficit and rode Taylor Tucker's huge second half to an 84-82 victory over Southwestern University Tuesday night in Belton. The Cru improves to 1-2 on the season with the victory and gives Lisa Curliss-Taylor her first win as head coach at UMHB. The loss drops the Pirates to 2-1 on the season.
Southwestern would lead by as many as ten points early in the first half, but UMHB fought back to cut it to 39-36 at halftime. The Cru would tie the game five times in the second half before finally taking its first lead on Tucker's three-point play with 9:28 remaining. Southwestern seemed to take control of the game again and led by as many as seven points, but Tucker and Samara Williams combined to score six straight points to pull the Cru to within one. Tucker converted another three point play to put UMHB up 81-80 with 1:20 left. A Tucker jumper made it 83-80, but the Pirates hit two free throws to close the gap to 83-82. Tucker made one final free throw with seven seconds on the clock and Southwestern missed a potential game-tying jumper at the buzzer.
Tucker finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Cru and Jovana Miles added 18 points and 10 boards. Williams also reached double figures for UMHB with 13 points. The Cru shot 40 percent from the field and out rebounded the Pirates 56-47.
Chelsea Leeder topped Southwestern with 28 points and Jordan Owens added 17 more. Audrey Garcia also reached double figures with 10 points and Annie Bourne pulled down a game-high 18 rebounds. The Pirates shot 43 percent from the field, but turned the ball over 25 times in the loss.
UMHB will now have a week off before returning to action with another home game. The Cru will welcome Trinity University to the Mayborn Campus Center for a 7:00 PM tip off on Wednesday, November 28th.