UMHB took the lead for the first time in the game at 41-39 with 15:47 left to play and the Crusaders never trailed again. UMHB used a 10-0 run to take a 44-39 lead after trailing 39-34. Hardin-Simmons would keep it close for a while, cutting the lead to 54-53 with 6:43 remaining, but the Crusaders quickly went on an 11-2 run to push the lead to 10 points with 36 seconds left. UMHB shot 55 per cent in the second half and held the Cowboys to 36 per cent shooting. Hardin-Simmons led 32-29 at halftime after UMHB shot just 33 per cent from the field in the first half and the Crusaders also missed their first seven shots from the floor. HSU led by as many as eight in the first half after hitting 4-8 from three-point range in the half. UMHB also kept it starters on the bench for 10 minutes in the first half after struggling early.
Brandon Gatlin led UMHB with 17 points and he also added six steals and three assists. Justin Hejl had 14 points and a game-high eight rebounds for the Crusaders. Zach Pickelman and Tanner Kudrna had 16 points and five rebounds apiece for the Cowboys and Pickelman was 4-5 from beyond the arc. Andre Washington added a team-high eight rebounds and blocked two shots for the Cowboys.
The Crusaders will continue their home stand with a 3:00 PM tip-off against McMurry University on Saturday afternoon. Hardin-Simmons will travel to Austin for a 3:00 PM start at Concordia University on Saturday.