Editor’s Note: Cover image of Bethany McLeod was provided by the UMHB Athletics Department
In her UMHB debut, center Taylor Kollmorgen scored 20 points, as the UMHB women’s basketball team took down UNT-Dallas, 76-56, in its season opener.
Kollmorgen, a graduate transfer from Houston Baptist, dominated on both sides of the floor, accumulating a double-double with her 12 rebounds and 20 points, going 9-13 from the field in just 18 minutes of action. Without an answer for Kollmorgen, UNT-Dallas kept it close through the first quarter, trailing 16-13, before the Cru exploded with a 12-4 run to begin the second quarter. The UMHB lead would extend to 24 points by the time the fourth quarter began, and the Trailblazers never managed to close the gap to less than 19.
As a team, the Crusaders were successful on the boards, winning the rebounding battle 56-32, and played airtight defense, limiting UNT-Dallas to a mere 28% shooting percentage from the field.
As head coach Mark Morefield has previously alluded to, this year’s team has plenty of depth, and that depth will be used throughout the games to UMHB’s advantage. On Tuesday, 15 different players saw the floor for the Cru, 13 of them scoring. It is this kind of team chemistry and scoring distribution that Morefield expects from his squad, and will factor into what UMHB hopes is a national championship run this season.
Two weeks ago, Morefield spoke of experienced players stepping into new roles this season, as the Cru saw three starters graduate this past spring. That was on display in Dallas, as senior guard Brooke Elliot, who averaged just 14.6 minutes per game last year, played 30 minutes against the Trailblazers, tallying four assists and six points.
Looking ahead, UMHB welcomes an always-talented Arlington Baptist squad to the Mayborn Campus Center Friday at 5 p.m., as it will be the Cru’s first home game of the 2020-21 campaign.
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