UMHB shot just 22 per cent in the first half and trailed 21-17 at the break. TLU opened the game with a 19-7 run before the Crusaders closed the half with a 14-2 run to make it a four-point game. UMHB opened the second half with a 7-2 run to take its first lead of the game at 24-23 and the Crusaders pushed it to a 12-point lead at 48-36 with 6:22 left to play. TLU got a Hunter Holsonback lay-up and back-to-back three-pointers from Nik Summers to cut it to 48-44, but UMHB iced the game from the free-throw line and only Summers three with 0.8 seconds left kept it as close as the final score.
Kevin Guyden matched his career high with 17 points and Brandon Gatlin added 17 to lead the Crusaders. No other UMHB player reached double figures, but nine different players scored. Tommy Stolhandske led TLU with 14 points and seven rebounds and Summers came off the bench to add 12, all of them in the second half. The Crusaders shot just 38 per cent from the field and 52 per cent from the free-throw line. The Crusaders did hold the Bulldogs to 40 per cent shooting from the field and TLU only shot eight free-throws in the loss.
The UMHB men will close out the regular season home schedule on Saturday. The Crusaders will host Schreiner University for a 3:00 PM tip-off at the Mayborn Campus Center. The UMHB men will then close out the regular season with a two-game road swing through Abilene next week.