ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' men's basketball team could not rally from a 20-point halftime deficit and fell 85-81 on Thursday evening in American Southwest Conference basketball action.

ETBU hit seven 3-pointers in the first half and pushed out to a 49-29 lead at halftime.

The Cowboys scored the first 10 points of the second half to cut the deficit to 49-39 and slowly chipped away. Caleb Spoon 3-point play with 5:23 to play cut the deficit to 69-65, but ETBU pushed the lead back to 82-72.

Joe Hoeup hit a pair of 3-pointers and Caleb Spoon added another in the final :30 to cut the deficit to 83-81, but two free throws by Landin Brown with 2.7 to play sealed the game for the Tigers.

Darrice Whitley and Robby Dooley each had 11 points for the Tigers.

Keenan Holdman led five Cowboys in double figures with 18 points. Caleb Spoon and Keilyn Nance had 17 points each Joe Hoeup had 14 and C.J. Rice added 11.

HSU is now 4-9 on the year and 2-3 in league play. ETBU improved to 9-2 overall and 3-1 in conference action. HSU will host LeTourneau at 4 p.m. Saturday in a rematch of last year's American Southwest Conference final.

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