UMHB had a five point lead with 4:00 remaining in regulation but the Indians cut it to one point on three occasions and finally tied the game at 70 on Michael Qualls three-pointer with 21 seconds remaining. UMHB had a chance to win the game, but Jimmy Smith’s three-pointer bounced out at the buzzer. The Crusaders then scored five of the first six points in the first overtime to take a 75-71 lead, but the Indians retook the lead on another Qualls three-pointer and a J.R. Williams lay-up with 27 seconds left. Smith’s lay-up put UMHB on top 77-76 with 12 seconds left before McMurry’s Travis Tennison was fouled on a lay-up attempt with five seconds left. He missed the first free throw but nailed the second to tie it at 77 and Brandon Gatlin’s three-pointer was wide at the buzzer to send it to a second extra session. McMurry scored the first four points of the second overtime before an Adam Wiese lay-in and Gatlin’s steal and coast-to-coast lay-up tied in at 81. The Indians added four straight free throws to go up 85-81, but the Crusaders took over from there. Gatlin made a pair of free throws to cut it to 85-83 and then he added a three-point play to put UMHB on top 86-85 with 1:21 to go. Justin Hejl’s steal and three-point play made it 89-85 UMHB and Hejl added another free throw with two seconds left to give the Crusaders a 90-85 cushion. J.R. Williams nailed a half-court three-pointer at the buzzer to provide the final scoring for the Indians. UMHB led 35-29 at the half despite shooting just 39 per cent from the field in the first half. The Crusaders shot 44 per cent from the field in the game and the Indians hit 48 per cent from the field. UMHB turned the ball over just 10 times while forcing 20 turnovers to help compensate for McMurry’s 46-35 edge on the boards.
Adam Wiese led UMHB with 27 points and 12 rebounds with both of those totals setting new career highs for Wiese. Justin Hejl added 15 points and 11 rebounds, Jimmy Smith had 16 points, Brandon Gatlin added 14 points and seven assists and Michael Blaylock had 10 points for the Crusaders. Michael Qualls led McMurry with 25 points and he hit 6-7 from three-point range. Juan Muniz added 16 points and a team-high 10 rebounds, Kendrick Ellis chipped in 14 and Heath Hardin had 10 points.
The Crusaders will close out the regular season with a pair of games next week. UMHB will host Schreiner University in a 7:30 PM tip-off next Thursday in Belton before closing out the regular season at Texas Lutheran with a 3:00 PM tip on Saturday. The Crusaders can clinch an ASC Postseason Tournament berth with a win in one of those games.