Covering UMHB Athletics and the stories behind the score
BELTON- Clif Carroll does not believe in beginning postseason tournament preparation during the week of a tournament. For the UMHB head coach, who is leading his top-seeded Crusaders into this week’s American Southwest Conference Tournament, preparing for these situations begins the first time his team walks onto the floor in October.
AUSTIN- At the tail end of an eight-day road swing that featured five games and 1,428 miles on the bus, not playing quite up to standard would have been understandable when the UMHB men’s basketball team took the floor against Concordia Monday night.
ALPINE- Over the last few weeks, Sul Ross State has become known for second-half comebacks. And on Saturday afternoon, true to form, the Lobos mounted a second-half run. But UMHB was ready for it, and the 16th-ranked Crusaders came away from their final regular season road contest with a 78-74 victory.
LONGVIEW- Josiah Johnson connected on just one three-pointer Monday night.
But it proved to be the biggest shot of the day, as the junior guard dodged two defenders and fired a long three at the buzzer, winning the critical ASC showdown for the UMHB men’s basketball team, ranked No. 16 in the nation.
RICHARDSON- UMHB guard Josiah Johnson hit the career 1,000-point mark, and the Crusader men’s basketball team maintained its position as the first-place team in the ASC standings on Sunday evening, rolling to an 85-72 victory over UT-Dallas.
BELTON- When you coach in the same conference for nine years, as UMHB head men’s basketball coach Clif Carroll has, you get pretty familiar with the various venues across the league.
So Carroll has a pretty good idea of what LeTourneau’s Solheim Arena will look like Monday night.
BELTON- Strong from short-range, the UMHB men’s basketball team won the rebounding battle, and the game itself Saturday afternoon.
The Cru, ranked No. 21 in the nation, defeated McMurry 93-75 at the Mayborn Campus in large part due to its 54 rebounds and 54 points in the paint, which paved the way to the team’s third consecutive victory.
“McMurry wanted to come out today…
BELTON- Even a month after the buzzer sounded in Abilene, the feeling of the three-point loss has not necessarily left the minds of those in the UMHB men’s basketball program.
CLARKSVILLE, Ark.- Competitive spirit. Enthusiasm, Intent.
All were things UMHB head coach Clif Carroll was looking for from his team entering Thursday’s ASC road matchup at Ozarks. And even with leading scorer Josiah Johnson unavailable, the Cru had no shortage of offense or intensity, leading from start to finish for an 85-59 win.
BELTON, Texas- He can guard anybody, Clif Carroll says. He’s begun to show signs of being special, the head coach added. And despite being four seasons removed from high school, he has two more years of college basketball ahead of him.