Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team stormed back from a 15-point halftime deficit, but the comeback fell just short in the final seconds of a 67-62 loss to Wartburg College Wednesday afternoon in Belton. The loss drops the UMHB women to 2-8 on the season. The Knights improve to 6-3 on the year with the victory.
The Cru led 7-6 early before Wartburg took control of the first half on the way to a 35-20 halftime lead. UMHB shot just 26 percent from the field in the first half and turned the ball over 15 times in the first 20 minutes. The Cru heated up in the second half, opening the period with a 6-0 run and using a 22-7 streak to tie the game at 42 with 10:15 left to play. After a Knight jumper, Samara Williams hit a three-pointer to give UMHB a 45-44 lead with 8:15 remaining. Wartburg took a 47-45 lead on Baileigh O'Brien's three 11 seconds later, but the Cru used two Jovana Miles free throws and a Tori Tucker three-pointer to grab a 50-47 lead. The Knights went on an 8-0 run to take a five-point lead at 55-50. UMHB would battle back to within two points at 57-55, but Wartburg iced the game from the free-throw line from there.
Tori Tucker led the Cru with a career-high 15 points and Macy Moore and Taylor Tucker added 13 points apiece. Taylor Tucker also pulled down 12 rebounds and Chantal Franco had seven assists for UMHB. The Cru shot 33 percent from the field and went 8-21 from three-point range in the game. UMHB out rebounded the Knights 49-39 and grabbed 22 offensive rebounds.
O'Brien topped Wartburg with 29 points and she scored 19 of those in the first half. She added 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots. Bobbi Burrows added 12 points off the bench for the Knights. Wartburg shot 42 percent from the field despite going just 5-21 from beyond the arc.
The Cru women will now have 15 days off before playing another game. UMHB will return to action with a 5:30 PM tip-off at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall on January 3rd.