BELTON, Texas - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team opened the 2017-18 season with a 91-73 win over Texas Lutheran University Thursday evening in Belton.
 
UMHB opened with a three-pointer by sophomore Kendall Rollins before the Bulldogs constructed an 8-3 run to lead by five. Alicia Blackwell and Hannah Holt teamed up for five points to tie the contest at eight. Aubrie Elliot finished the quarter with a team-leading five points as the Cru outscored the Bulldogs 7-3 to end the first quarter. UMHB led by as many as seven in the second but the Bulldogs cut the lead to just two before the half, ending the first 20 minutes of play with a 33-31 UMHB lead.
 
The Cru opened the third quarter with an 11-6 run and led by three points halfway through. UMHB then pushed offensively, outscoring the Bulldogs 14-6 to secure a 64-53 lead after the third. Holt led the Cru with 10 points in the fourth quarter as UMHB held a double-digit lead through the final eight minutes of play for the 91-73 win.
 
Holt led the Cru with 35 points in the contest, breaking the UMHB Division III single-game record for points in a game. Rollins followed Holt with 17 points while Haven Neal added nine and Elliott scored eight in her UMHB debut. Defensively, Neal led the Cru with 10 rebounds, including six offensive boards. Blackwell was the assists leader with nine, Holt had a team-high five steals and Ashley Caldwell blocked two shots. UMHB shot 43.2 percent in the contest and 31.3 percent from beyond the arc.
 
Cami Davis led the Bulldogs with 30 points while Kasey Hairell added 15. TLU out-rebounded the Cru 45-42, bringing down 32 defensive boards. The Bulldogs shot 40.4 percent in the contest, 31.8 percent from the three-point arc and 71.4 percent in free throws.
 
UMHB returns to action on Monday, November 20^th in a 6 p.m. game at Incarnate Word in San Antonio. The Cru's next home game is Thursday, December 7^th against the University of Texas at Dallas.