By Jackson Keenan

Editor-in-Chief

On Saturday Feb. 28, UMHB punched their ticket into the NCAA DIII basketball Tournament by beating Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) 90-81 in the American Southwest Conference (ASC) championship game.  

This win marks the first time the Cru has gone back to the DIII tournament since the 2022-23 season and is the first tournament appearance under head coach Sam Patterson.  

This game was another battle for the Cru as they were in an early deficit losing by 17 with around seven minutes to go in the first. UMHB began to come back, reducing the deficit to 11 after Senior point guard Elijah Lawrence hit a three near the end of the half, leaving it 33-44 HSU. 

Coming out of halftime, the Cru scored quickly and after a steal by Senior wing Zach Engles and a three by Lawrence, the Cru took their first lead of the game. 

With three minutes remaining, the score was tied at 75 when UMHB pulled away, outscoring the Cowboys 15-6 to take home their first ASC tournament championship since 2021-22 season.  

Leading the charge was Senior Donta Coday who scored 23 points, going 6-9 from the field and hitting four three-pointers. Coday also won the ASC tournament MVP. Engles also scored 23 points and seven rebounds.  

The Cru next game will be in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Mar. 6 against University of Wisconsin Stevens-Point in St. Peters Minn.