Box Score ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' men's basketball team claimed a share of the regular season American Southwest Conference title with a 84-79 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor on Saturday afternoon at the Mabee Complex.
Neither team led by more than six points in the first half that featured five lead changes and a tie. The Cru took a 43-39 lead into halftime.
The Cowboys took its first lead of the second half on a Charles Sams 3-pointer that made it 52-50 with 15:26 to play. Daniel Mills scored a layup to tie the game and then Christian O'Neal hit a 3-pointer to give HSU a 55-52 lead with 14:06 to play and HSU never trailed again.
UMHB tied the game at 65 with 8:06 to play and HSU scored five straight on a Nathaniel Jack 3-pointer and Justin Jones basket. Jones layup with 3:26 to play gave HSU its biggest lead of the game at 78-71, but the Cru answered and cut the deficit to 80-79 on a pair of free throws by Russell Green with :49 to play.
O'Neal then hit the game's biggest shot by nailing a fade away jumper from the left of the lane with :17 to play to give HSU an 82-79 lead. Jalen Jury's 3-pointer missed and Jack hit a pair of free throws to ice the contest with :02 to play.
Jones led the Cowboys with 22 points, eight rebounds and eight blocks. O'Neal added 17 points and Jack added 14. It was the final home game for Derrick Jefferson and Sams. Jefferson had seven points and 14 rebounds and Sams had nine points.
Jury led UMHB with 25 points off the bench and Jerard Graham added 24.
HSU is 19-6 on the season and 15-5 in ASC play. UMHB fell to 17-8 overall and 14-6 in conference play.
The Cowboys will be the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament next weekend in Marshall at East Texas Baptist. The Tigers beat Sul Ross State on Saturday to earn the right to host by virtue of tiebreakers. HSU will play Texas-Dallas at 2:30 on Thursday in the first round.
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