BELTON, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' Cowboy basketball team held off the Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusader upset attempt, winning 72-71 on Thursday night in American Southwest Conference play, finishing the fourth-ever undefeated regular season in ASC men's basketball history.
 
The Cowboys end the ASC regular season with a perfect 8-0 record in conference and will head to Marshall next week as the top spot in the conference tournament. They join the 1999 and 2000 McMurry teams (8-0, 12-0) and the 2021 UMHB team (13-0) as the fourth undefeated ASC regular season in the 29 years of men's basketball.
 
The defense was on display early as both teams struggled to find the basket. Hardin-Simmons edged out UMHB, shooting 37 percent, and held the Crusaders to 33 percent on the night.
 
Mathew Alexander had a career-high in scoring in his first season with 18 points for the Cowboys. He started the game off with the first nine points for HSU in the opening five minutes. Hardin-Simmons led at the half 33-31.
 
Silas Davis tied the team high with 18 points for his own career high as a sophomore. Davis scored 11 points in the second half for the Cowboys.
 
There were 14 tied scores and 12 lead changes in a pivotal second half. UMHB had its largest lead of seven points up 48-41 with 15 minutes to go in the game.
 
The Cowboys rallied with a 7-0 run to tie the game at 48-48 quickly and had their largest lead at 68-64 thanks to a 3-pointer from Will Bartoszek with three minutes left.
 
Davis made the last two Cowboy free throws with 18 seconds left to put HSU up 72-68, and the defense held up at the last second to win 72-71 over UMHB.
 
Bartoszek finished with 12 points and Austin Brewer scored 11 for the Cowboys.
 
Hardin-Simmons will head to UT-Dallas on Saturday at 3 p.m. in a non-conference game to end the regular season before heading to Marshall, Texas next weekend for the ASC Championship Tournament, hosted at ETBU.
 
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