Southwestern shot 48 percent from long range and buried Mary Hardin-Baylor with a 24-5 scoring barrage early in the second half as the Pirates upset the 10th-ranked Crusaders 75-68 in both teams’ season opener Tuesday night at Robertson Center.
It was just the second loss for UMHB since January of last season and only the Crusaders’ fifth in the last year.
“This really humbles us,” said UMHB senior guard Jason Wagner, who had team-highs of 24 points and seven assists. “We realize we can’t just come out here and win without doing the right things. We didn’t have the intensity we needed on defense, and that will get you beat by just about everybody.”
The NCAA moved the 3-point line back a foot - from 19 feet, 9 inches to 20-9 - but it didn’t hamper the Pirates.
Southwestern sophomore guard Nick Caputo, who made only one 3 all of last season, was 7-of-11 from beyond the arc for 24 points. Travis Barber scored 18 points and was 3-for-6 from long range for the Pirates, who made 13 of their 27 3-point attempts.
“I can honestly say that I don’t remember in recent history a team shooting it that well,” said UMHB coach Ken DeWeese, whose squad is coming off back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament. “Even when we extended our defense, (Southwestern) just backed up and kept making them. It’s just one of those things.”
The Crusaders were just 9-of-33 from long range and 9-of-18 from the free-throw line but held a 34-26 lead after Tilmon Gaddy (18 points) scored the first five points of the second half.
It was almost all Pirates after that.
Caputo and Barber drained two 3s apiece in the next five minutes to fuel the 24-5 run, and Caputo nailed another one at the 10:18 mark for a 50-39 lead.
Gaddy answered with a pair of 3s and two bombs by Wagner were followed by a Tim Lytle 3 that trimmed the deficit to 57-54 with 6:19 remaining.
But UMHB went scoreless for the next two minutes and Southwestern’s shooting never cooled off. Barber and Zach Bergstrom connected from behind the arc for a 69-56 Pirates lead with 3:07 to go.
It was all the Crusaders could do to close the final gap to seven points.
Michael Ivey and David Ray pulled down 15 and 11 rebounds, respectively, but Crusaders starting point guard Matt Caskey (Salado) was hampered by foul trouble and finished with no points and just one assist.
Freshman Sterling Phillips filled in during Caskey’s long stretches on the bench, and UMHB struggled to find any offensive rhythm without their senior ball handler.
“He did not play well, suffice it to say,” DeWeese said of Phillips. “But he will get better and we haven’t worked much against a zone (defense).
“That’s my fault. But with the athletes we have and the shooters we have, we should look forward to people playing a zone.”
UMHB has a week off before hitting the road to face Trinity in San Antonio next Tuesday. The Crusaders play their home and American Southwest Conference opener Nov. 29 against Texas-Dallas.
edrennan@temple-telegram.com
