BELTON, Texas – Closing out a season-opening six game road trip, the LeTourneau University women's basketball team fell to number-25 nationally-ranked University of Mary Hardin-Baylor by a final score of 80-48 at the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton, Texas on Saturday, December 1st.
 
The loss drops the YellowJackets to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in American Southwest Conference action while the Crusaders move to 7-0 overall and 2-0 in ASC play.
 
LETU and UMHB would trade buckets in the opening minutes as Keauna Whitfield was quick to answer the Cru with a layup and a three pointer to make the score 8-5 in favor of Mary Hardin-Baylor. LeTourneau would manage to keep within two possessions through the opening five minutes of play before seeing an 11-0 UMHB run open a 25-9 lead as the YellowJackets would suffer through a 4:35 scoring drought.
 
Three-point shooting would help keep LETU on the fringe of cutting the Cru lead down to single-digits for much of the second quarter, but Mary Hardin-Baylor would continue with a hot-shooting touch as LeTourneau could not close the gap in the first-half any closer than 13 before seeing UMHB score five of the final seven points to lead 45-26 at intermission.
 
In the second half, LETU would do their best to try and keep the pace with UMHB to cut into their deficit but see a stout Cru defense hold off the YellowJacket offense. Mary Hardin-Baylor would manage to outscore LeTourneau 19-12 in the third quarter to stake themselves a 64-38 lead which would continue to grow throughout the fourth quarter.
 
Key Stats:

• After shooting 41 percent (11-of-27) in the first half, LETU would be held to just a 7-for-34 output (20.6 percent) in the second half as the YellowJackets saw UMHB finish 50 percent from the field on 26-of-62 shooting.
• The Cru built their lead on points off turnovers (20-9) and a 14-5 advantage in second chance points to overcome as LeTourneau would be guilty of 25 turnovers.
• LETU would be led by a 10-point performance from Whitfield while Sha'Donnaver Young pulled in seven rebounds and recorded three assists.

What's Next?
LeTourneau returns to action in their home opener against Sul Ross State University on Thursday, December 6th at 5:30 p.m. The Lobos enter Thursday's matchup with a 2-4 overall record and are coming off a 70-47 non-conference loss to the University of the Southwest.