BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women’s basketball team locked up the right to host the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament by posting a 72-50 victory over Concordia Texas Saturday afternoon in Belton. The Cru clinches the ASC West Division title and improves to 21-2 overall and 13-1 in ASC play with the win. The loss drops the Tornados to 7-16 overall and 3-11 in the ASC on the year.
The game was close until UMHB clamped down in the second quarter, holding Concordia to just eight points. The Cru used a 13-2 run to close out the period and turn a six-point advantage into a 39-22 halftime lead. UMHB would stretch it out to as many as 27 points in the third quarter and cruised through the final period, never letting the Tornados get closer than 20 points the rest of the way.
Hannah Holt led UMHB with 21 points and seven rebounds and she added three assists and four steals. Alicia Blackwell added 10 points and ten different players scored for the Cru. UMHB was 8-11 from the field in the second quarter and finished at 44 percent shooting for the game. The Cru forced 18 turnovers and Ashley Caldwell blocked four Tornado shots on the day.
Kaycie Dunkerley and Molly Gideon had nine points apiece for Concordia. Dunkerley also had a team-high eight rebounds as the Tornados held a slight 39-37 edge on the boards. Concordia shot just 32 percent from the field and 43 percent from the free-throw line in the loss.
This is the second straight ASC West Division championship for the UMHB women. This will be the first time the Cru women have hosted the ASC Championship Tournament.
UMHB will now close out the regular season with home games against Sul Ross State next Thursday and Howard Payne next Saturday. The ASC Championship Tournament will be played February 21-23rd at the Mayborn Campus Center.
