ABILENE, Texas-A matchup with the first-place team in the American Southwest Conference awaits the UMHB men’s basketball team on Thursday night, as The Cru travels to Abilene for a matchup against Hardin-Simmons, followed by a Saturday afternoon tilt at McMurry.
UMHB (7-6, 3-3 ASC) is tied for fourth place in the ASC standings with a 3-3 record in league play, having split last week’s ASC duels in Belton.
In a high-scoring contest dominated by free throws and fouls, the Crusaders got past Ozarks, 95-81, on Thursday, extending their win streak to three games. UMHB outscored the Eagles in both halves, surpassing the 90-point mark for the first time all season. In the victory, The Cru finished 31-of-37 at the free throw line, led by Josiah Johnson, who was a perfect 14-of-14. Johnson tallied 34 points and 16 rebounds in a huge double-double performance.
UT-Dallas got the better of UMHB on Saturday afternoon, however, as the Comets took control early in the second half, after the Crusaders led 43-39 at the intermission. UTD put up 52 second-half points in the 91-75 win, shooting 53.1 percent through both halves.
Offensive inconsistency proved troublesome for UMHB throughout the second half, and has been a recurring challenge for The Cru this season. UMHB shoots 41.2 percent from the field, the lowest field goal percentage in the ASC, and will certainly be looking to improve that in the upcoming matchups in Abilene.
That said, UMHB’s 79.7 percent mark at the free throw line ranks No. 1 in the league, and fifth in the nation. The Crusaders are 231-of-290 from the charity stripe this season, and very dangerous when they get to the line frequently, as they did against Ozarks last week.
Hardin-Simmons (11-2, 5-0 ASC) enters Thursday’s 7:30 p.m. contest having not yet lost at home this season, with six victories at the Mabee Complex thus far. The Cowboys were picked No. 3 in the ASC Preseason Poll, but currently hold a 1.5 game lead in the league standings, having gotten off to a fast start. Wins over LeTourneau and East Texas Baptist on the road opened HSU’s ASC schedule, before picking up three straight home conference wins in December.
The Cowboys face UMHB after a long break, having last played an official contest on Dec. 21, when head coach Matt Brackett picked up his 100th career win at Schreiner. The 84-70 victory extended HSU’s winning streak to eight games.
Will Bartoszek leads HSU’s offensive charge, as the senior forward from Rockwall, Texas, averages 24.0 points per game. A skilled shooter, Bartoszek has scored 20 or more points in each of the Cowboys’ last eight games, and is fifth in the country in points per game. Austin Brewer is another key contributor for HSU, with a league-best 9.9 rebounds per contest and the third-highest shooting percentage in the ASC, at 49.6 percent.
UMHB and HSU have a history of competitive battles, as two of the three meetings between the two last season ended with single-digit margins. Notably, the Cowboys ended UMHB’s ASC Tournament run in the semifinal round in 2022-23, winning 78-71, in Belton. UMHB is 3-1 in games played against HSU in Abilene under head coach Clif Carroll, who is in his fourth season leading The Cru.
Saturday afternoon brings a 3 p.m. matchup against McMurry (7-6, 1-4 ASC) at Kimbrell Arena, as UMHB seeks its eighth straight win against the Warhawks. Entering the week, McMurry has won its last two, having defeated Texas Lutheran and Austin College in non-conference duels on Dec. 21 and Jan. 4, respectively. The Warhawks opened their league schedule with four straight losses, but got in the win column with a 91-85 win over Ozarks on Dec. 18.
Sophomore guard Coco Rose leads McMurry’s scoring at 16.7 points per game, and had a season-high 40 points in a 104-100 loss to Howard Payne in early December. CJ LeBlanc, a senior guard, is just behind Rose in the scoring column, with 16.2 points per contest.
Follow Thursday’s action from Abilene at hsuathletics.com, with the livestream starting shortly after the conclusion of the women’s matchup. Saturday’s game at McMurry will be broadcasted at mcmurrysports.com.
