ABILENE, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men’s basketball team used a huge first half from Josiah Johnson to take control of the game and the Cru never looked back in a 94-66 victory over McMurry University Saturday afternoon in Abilene. UMHB improves to 7-3 overall and 4-0 in American Southwest Conference play with the win. The loss drops the War Hawks to 1-8 overall and 1-4 in ASC play on the year.
McMurry jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the early going, but UMHB answered with a 12-0 run to take an 18-10 lead. Johnson took over from there, erupting for 26 first-half points as the Cru would lead by as many as 21 points before settling for a 44-25 lead at the half. UMHB shot 48 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes while holding McMurry to 32 percent shooting. The Cru also forced 10 War Hawk turnovers while giving the ball away just four times.
The War Hawks closed to within 17 points at 63-46 in the second half, but UMHB again responded. The Cru held McMurry scoreless for 3:50 during a 12-0 run as UMHB pushed the lead out to 29 points. The lead would eventually grow to 31 points as the Cru eased to the victory. UMHB shot a blistering 59 percent from the field as a team in the second half and hit 6-11 three-pointers in the final 20 minutes.
Johnson led all scorers with 35 points in the game on 11-18 shooting from the field. He also had six rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists. Ty Prince had 13 points and blocked four shots and Byrale Carter added nine points. Twelve different players scored for UMHB as the team shot 54 percent for the game and hit 10-25 from beyond the arc. The Cru out rebounded McMurry 42-36 in the game and had a 44-26 edge on points in the paint.
Matt Pena topped the War Hawks with 17 points. Remy Minor added 13 points and Jordan Sherman also reached double figures with 10. McMurry shot 39 percent as a team and was just 6-20 from beyond the arc.
UMHB and McMurry will now turn right around and play each other Thursday night in Belton. The Cru men will then close out the week with a Saturday home game against Hardin-Simmons University.
