Pineville, Louisiana – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team stormed back in the second half, but went cold over the final seven minutes as the Cru dropped a 68-56 decision to Louisiana College Saturday afternoon in Pineville, Louisiana. The loss drops UMHB to 10-9 overall and 6-8 in American Southwest Conference play on the year. The Wildcats improve to 13-4 overall and 10-4 in the ASC on the season with the victory.

The two teams traded the lead for much of the first half before LC pulled away late for a 38-29 halftime lead. The Wildcats stretched that lead to 49-37 in the first six minutes of the second half before the Cru battled back. UMHB tied the game at 51 and took a 54-52 lead on a Kourtney Bevers three-pointer with 7:01 remaining. The Wildcats tied the game on two free throws and then used a 6-0 run to grab a 60-54 lead. Jonelle Smith hit a pair of free throws with 4:25 left to play, but those were the only points of the final seven minutes for the Cru as LC pulled away from there to clinch the victory.

Macy Moore was the only player in double figures for UMHB with 12 points and she added four rebounds and three assists. Taylor Tucker pulled down 12 rebounds for the Cru as UMHB out rebounded the Wildcats 56-46. The Cru shot just 17 percent as a team in the second half and finished at 24 percent for the game. UMHB also turned the ball over 27 times in the loss.

Neka Jones topped LC with 18 points and Kaci Willis added 15 more. Danisha Allison also reached double figures with 12 points. The Wildcats shot just 32 percent from the field as a team and neither team shot better than 29 percent from three-point range in the game.

The Cru will continue its road swing with a pair of ASC contests next week. UMHB will open the week with a 5:30 PM start at East Texas Baptist in Marshall on Thursday before taking on LeTourneau University in a 3:00 PM start in Longview next Saturday.