Above photo: Josiah Johnson, who scored 37 points on Thursday night, leading The Cru to victory (Photo by Russell Marwitz/True To The Cru/russellmarwitz.com)
BELTON-After dropping four straight games, UMHB men’s basketball entered Thursday night’s home opener hungry for a victory. And in a complete 40-minute effort, that is exactly what the Crusaders came away with, taking down LeTourneau, 75-66.
Josiah Johnson’s 37-point effort highlighted the win as UMHB gained separation with under a minute left and pulled away in the closing seconds. The victory improved the Crusaders’ record to 3-4 overall, and 1-1 in conference play.
With 47 seconds left, LETU’s Deonte Jackson drove to the rim and scored on a layup, cutting UMHB’s lead back to three, 69-66. In a familiar spot–playing in a close battle with under a minute left–the Crusaders avoided LETU’s defensive pressure as they moved the ball past midcourt. Kyle Wright was fouled by the Yellowjackets as the clock wound down, and Wright made both free throws, extending the lead to two possessions.
LETU had two chances at cutting the deficit to two points, but missed on consecutive 3-pointers. Johnson then converted on four straight free throws, sealing a hard-fought, and extremely timely win for The Cru.
It was a competitive matchup throughout, not unlike last season’s overtime battle between the two conference foes in Belton. After UMHB gained a 7-3 lead on a layup from Johnson, LETU clawed back and eventually took a 12-11 lead on one of Jackson’s four 3-pointers in the contest. The momentum swayed back and forth, with neither side gaining a lead beyond four points for the final 13 minutes of the opening half. UMHB led 34-32 at the intermission.
But that changed in the early minutes of the second half, as UMHB came out of the locker room intent on making a statement. The Cru scored the first eight points of the period, thanks to a pair of short-range shots from Ryan Pondant and four points from Johnson. After Pondant’s jumper fell through the net, LETU head coach James Wallace had no choice but to call a timeout, with UMHB suddenly in front, 42-32.
The Yellowjackets slowly worked their way back, cutting the deficit to just three points on a pair of Jalen Cherry free throws with 12:05 left. LETU got as close as a single point away from tying the score, as Jackson’s fast-break jump shot for the Yellowjackets made it 52-51 in favor of UMHB with exactly 10 minutes remaining.
But out of a timeout, Kyle Wright swished a 3-pointer from the right wing for UMHB, as the hosts again gained separation. That was the storyline for much of the final 10 minutes, as LETU kept it competitive and close, but UMHB never relinquished its advantage.
In addition to Johnson’s stellar offensive day, freshman Jayce Todd stepped up with six rebounds, which tied for the team-high in that category. Johnson and Wright each added six rebounds as well, and Wright tallied a team-best three assists.
Game Notes
- Thursday’s win marked UMHB first win on Texas soil in this 2023-24 season.
- The Crusaders started the year 2-0 with a pair of victories over UW-Stout and Illinois Wesleyan in Illinois at the Sikma Invitational.
- UMHB tallied 34 points in the paint for the second time this season. It is currently the most the Crusaders have had in a single game in that area of the floor.
- With Thursday’s win, the Crusaders have won their home opener in each of the last three seasons.
- This season marks the second straight year in which UMHB’s first home game was also a conference matchup, as The Cru battled Howard Payne in last year’s home opener.
- Johnson’s 37 points are a season-high for the senior, and the most he has scored in a single game since Jan. 3, 2022, when he scored 42 against Concordia (TX).
- Johnson has tallied four 20+ point performances in the first seven games of this season.
Up Next
The Crusaders battle ETBU on Saturday at 3 p.m. in a rematch of last year’s Round of 32 NCAA Tournament contest in Belton. In that game, Josiah Johnson connected on a 3-pointer at the final buzzer to send UMHB on to the Sweet 16, as the Crusaders won, 72-70. ETBU was picked to win the ASC in the conference preseason poll this season, but after a tough stretch to open the year, the Tigers enter Saturday’s contest with a 2-4 record. ETBU is 2-1 in league play, having defeated Concordia on Thursday, 67-62.
