Belton, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team broke open a tight game with a first-half run and the Cru never looked back on the way to a 98-65 victory over Huston-Tillotson University Saturday night in Belton. UMHB improves to 4-0 on the season with the victory. The loss drops the Rams to 0-4 on the year.

The game was tight through the first 11 minutes with UMHB only leading 23-17 with 8:19 left in the first half. The Cru scored the next 15 points and closed the first half with a 26-4 run to push it to 49-21 at halftime. The lead would grow to as many as 42 points in the second half but UMHB cleared the bench and let the Rams cut the gap to the final margin.

Alyssa Dean led the Cru with 25 points on 9-11 shooting. Jonelle Smith had 13 points and Taylor Tucker added 10 for UMHB. Nineteen players played for the Cru and 16 of those scored in a balanced attack. UMHB shot 47 per cent from the field and hit 8-15 from three-point range.

LaKevia Castillo led Huston-Tillotson with 20 points and Jasmine Dukes chipped in 18. The Rams shot 43 percent from the field, but turned the ball over 28 times in the loss.

The UMHB women return to action with the start of American Southwest Conference play next week. The Cru will face Howard Payne University in a 5:30 PM start next Thursday in Brownwood before closing out the week with a 1:00 PM tip at Sul Ross State next Saturday in Alpine.