BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men’s basketball team erased an early deficit and then never looked back as the Cru rolled over the University of the Ozarks 107-72 Saturday afternoon in Belton. UMHB improves to 9-1 overall and 3-1 in the American Southwest Conference with the victory. The Eagles drop to 2-7 overall and 1-2 in ASC play with the loss.
Ozarks would grab an early 18-12 lead, but LaKendric Hyson scored six straight points for the Cru to even it up. UMHB took the lead out to 42-33 at the half before opening things up early in the second. The Cru opened the half with a 15-5 run to push the lead to 19 points and the Eagles never got closer than 15 points the rest of the way.
Hyson poured in a game-high 27 points and grabbed nine boards to lead UMHB. Brian Long and Demarius Cress scored 14 points apiece and Sam Moore added 10 as 13 Cru players scored in the game. UMHB shot 53 percent as a team in the second half and hit 48 percent for the game. The Cru forced 23 Ozarks turnovers and out rebounded the Eagles 50-43 in the victory.
Tim Turpin has a team-best 13 points for Ozarks. Bryson Johnson scored 12 points and Lance Gardner pulled down a game-best 11 rebounds. The Eagles shot just 34 percent from the field on the day.
The UMHB men will return to action with a 7:30 PM home game against U.T.-Tyler on Monday. The Cru will then welcome Wayland Baptist to the Mayborn Campus Center for an exhibition game on Tuesday in the final contest before the Christmas break.
