BELTON, TX — The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women’s basketball team could not overcome cold shooting in the odd-numbered quarters as the Cru fell to UT Dallas 63-58 in the American Southwest Conference Tournament Championship Game Saturday in Belton. UMHB loses in the ASC title game for the second straight year and fifth time overall and drops to 25-3 on the season. The win moves the Comets record to 24-4 and gives UTD its fourth ASC title in the last seven years.
The Comets led 43-38 going into the fourth quarter and kept the Cru at bay until Madison McCoy three-point play tied the game at 56 with 2:44 remaining. UMHB had a chance to take the lead, but a turnover led to Raenett Hughes’ lay-up to give UTD a 58-56 lead. The Cru tied it up with two Allaira Jones free throws with 1:34 left to play, but Hughes hit two more free throws and Victoria Pena added three free throws as UMHB missed two shots and turned the ball over to go scoreless over the final 1:34 of the game.
The Cru missed its first six shots from the field and went 3:03 before scoring to open the game. UTD was also cold to open the contest and the game was 4-4 until Pena hit a three-pointer with 4:35 left in the period. The Comets would lead 15-10 after the first quarter. UMHB shot just 19 percent from the field in the opening period. The Cru would trail by as many as eight in the second period before fighting back to take a 26-25 halftime lead on a Kendall Rollins jumper. UMHB was cold again in the third quarter as UTD stretched the lead out to nine before settling for that 43-38 advantage. The Cru hit just 27 percent from the field in the period.
Alicia Blackwell was the only UMHB player in double figures with 17 points. McCoy and Aubrie Elliott added nine points apiece and Hannah Holt had a team-best six rebounds. The Cru finished the game at 36 percent shooting and was out rebounded 47-30 on the night.
Pena had a game-high 19 points to lead the Comets and Hughes added 18 points. Katie Gunter added 10 points for UTD. The Comets shot just 31 percent from the field, but grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and scored 15 second chance points. UTD also made 20-22 from the free-throw line.
Holt and Rollins were both named to the ASC All-Tournament Team. Hughes, Kelley Skinner and Pena represented the Comets with Pena earning MVP honors.
UMHB is still likely to claim an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships for the first time in program history. UT Dallas clinches the ASC’s automatic bid to the postseason with the tournament crown. The field for the 2019 NCAA Division III National Championships will be announced at 1:30 pm Central Time on Monday via selection show at www.ncaa.com [ncaa.com].
