ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' Cowboy basketball team fell 76-69 to Mary Hardin-Baylor on Friday night in the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament semifinal.
 
The Cowboys were down 38-28 to the Cru at the half and had to battle to take a lead in the second.
 
There were 14 lead changes in the game Friday night, with 12 of those coming in the second half.
 
Hardin-Simmons erased the ten-point deficit in the first six minutes of the second with a 14-6 run to take a 45-44 lead. The Cowboys pushed the lead out to six points over UMHB with just over ten minutes remaining.
 
The Cru tied the game at 59-59 with eight minutes left in the half and led by seven on a couple of occasions with the help of some late free throws, taking the win 76-69 over the Cowboys.
 
The duo of Cowboy seniors did the lions share of the work on the scoreboard for HSU in the ASC semifinal, with 29 points from Will Bartoszek and 16 points from Austin Brewer.
 
Bartoszek had five boards, four assists, and three blocks to go with his 29 points scored. Brewer had another double-double with ten rebounds and returned-to-sender five blocked shots for the Cowboy defense.
 
The Cowboys exit the ASC Tournament with a record of 19-7 on the season. The NCAA men's basketball selection show will be on Monday at noon.
 
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