Boxscore

ABILENE, Texas — Hardin-Simmons' men's basketball team dropped to 0-2 with a 75-72 loss to Southwestern Tuesday night at the Mabee Athletic Complex.

Hardin-Simmons came out and took a 26-15 lead at the 9:25 mark of the first half, but the veteran Pirates would not go away and they came right back with a 14-3 run to tie the game at 29 all on a pair of free throws by Jonathan Brown. The teams went back and forth the rest of the first half and HSU led 39-38 at halftime.

It was an early 17-0 run in the second half that gave Southwestern the momentum and their biggest lead of the game at 55-42. HSU battled back and with a quick 8-0 run that dwindled the deficit to 57-54 with 8:55 to play. Freshman John Derr had a steal and lay-up, Casey Riddle had a 3-point play and Courtney Lockridge capped the run with a 3-pointer.

However, moments later Lockridge picked up his fifth foul of the night and Southwestern went right in to Jonathan Brown and scored five straight points to push the lead back to 62-54 with 5:55 to play.

It was 70-59 when the Cowboys made one last surge. Riddle hit a 3-pointer, followed by a pair of free throws by Carlos Singer to cut the deficit to six, but Brown came right back with another 3-point play to seal the Cowboys' fate. HSU did not have an answer for Brown on the inside all night as he led the Pirates with 26 points and 12 rebounds.

HSU had a balanced scoring effort as Singer had 18 points and Derr added 17. Riddle had 14 points and seven assists. Singer had his first career double-double as he pulled down 11 rebounds.

HSU shot just 32 percent in the game from 3-point range and 35.4 percent overall. HSU hit 13-of-41 3-pointers in the contest. Southwestern shot 43.3 percent and they outrebounded the Cowboys 49-34.

Nick Caputo and Zach Bergstrom also hit double figures for Southwestern with 16 and 13 points respectively.

The Cowboys will travel to Mississippi College for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday. It will be the conference opener for both schools.

--- HSU ---