BELTON (January 26, 2012) -- This time there would be no need for a late comeback as the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men’s basketball team dominated the second half and cruised to an 83-62 victory over Howard Payne University Thursday night in Belton. The 10th-ranked Cru improves to 17-1 overall and 13-1 in American Southwest Conference play with the victory. The loss drops Howard Payne to 8-10 overall and 6-8 in the ASC on the season.

Howard Payne grabbed an early lead before back-to-back three pointers from Marlon Miller gave the Cru a 16-11 edge with 14:05 left in the first half. UMHB pushed the lead to as many as eight before the Yellow Jackets clawed back to take a 32-31 halftime lead. UMHB opened the second half with a 13-0 run to build an early double-digit lead, but Howard Payne once again answered. The Yellow Jackets closed to within 50-48 with 11:57 to play in the game, but the Cru responded with a 12-4 run to take the lead back to double figures and UMHB stretched it out from there. UMHB had struggled early in its last two games and mounted furious second-half rallied in contest at Hardin-Simmons and McMurry University last week.

Marlon Miller topped the Cru with 20 points. James Allen added 13 and Kitrick Bell scored 12 for UMHB. Greg Wiernas posted a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. The Cru shot 58 percent from the field in the second half and finished at 45 percent for the game. UMHB was just 3-17 from three-point range, but out rebounded the Yellow Jackets 52-37.

Brandon Irwin led all scorers with 23 points for Howard Payne and he had 13 of those in the first half. Joshua Dada added 13 points and Ja’Kalan Gayden pulled down 12 rebounds. HPU shot 38 percent from the field and went 4-9 from three-point range.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women’s basketball team could not overcome Howard Payne’s 14-2 first-half run on the way to a 76-55 loss to the Yellow Jackets Thursday night in Belton. The Cru falls to 2-16 overall and 1-13 in American Southwest Conference play with the loss. Howard Payne improves to 16-2 overall and 12-2 in the ASC with the victory.

UMHB kept it close through the early going, trailing only 22-18 with 5:48 left in the first half. That’s when HPU erupted for a 154-2 run to take control of the game and the Yellow Jackets led 41-22 at halftime. UMHB would never get closer than the final margin in the second half after the Yellow Jackets led by as many as 32 points.

Jovana Miles topped the Cru with 12 points off the bench and she added a team-high seven rebounds. Miranda Shorter and Carmen Maciel chipped in 11 points apiece. UMHB shot just 32 percent from the field and went just 3-16 from three-point range in the loss.

Roshonda Gayden led a balanced HPU scoring effort with 14 points and she pulled down eight rebounds. Dana Marrs added 13 points and 13 different players scored for the Yellow Jackets. HPU shot 52 percent from the field and drained 10-28 from beyond the arc.