LONGVIEW, Texas -- Four LeTourneau men's basketball players scored in double figures, but the YellowJackets could not comeback from a 20-point second-half deficit in a 78-70 loss to Hardin-Simmons in the ASC opener on Thursday night inside Solheim Arena.

The loss is the third straight for LeTourneau (3-3, 0-1 ASC).

Walker Blaine had 18 points, 14 of which came in the second half, and Caedmon Liebengood had 17 points with six rebounds and four steals to lead LeTourneau. Teigan Edwards tallied a career-high 14 points with five assists and three rebounds in his first start of the season and Christian Adams added 10 points.

The YellowJackets held a three-point lead at 22-19 with 10 minutes left in the first half after a bucket from Liebengood, who scored 15 of his 17 points in the opening half. Hardin-Simmons (4-2, 1-0 ASC) outscored LeTourneau 17-7 over the final five-plus minutes of the half to grab a 43-33 lead into the break.

In the second half, LeTourneau had a cold-shooting stretch for the first eight minutes of the period and the visiting Cowboys took advantage to stretch the lead to 20 (57-37) with 12:40 remaining.

Six straight points from the YellowJackets, capped by an Isaac Stolzenburg 3-pointer, got LeTourneau going and trimmed the deficit to 14 (57-43) with 11:39 left. LeTourneau got the margin under 10 with three minutes left on a turnaround jumper from Blaine, but the YellowJackets would not get closer until the final seconds.

LeTourneau connected on 42.2 percent (27-of-64) from the field and 10-of-14 at the free throw line. Jalen Cherry added six points and six rebounds off the bench.

Hardin-Simmons converted 11 LeTourneau turnovers into 25 points and made 47.5 percent (29-of-61) for the game. Will Bartoszek had a game-high 20 points with seven assists while Jalen McGee scored 19 points. Austin Brewer notched a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds.

UP NEXT

LeTourneau hosts McMurry on Saturday (3 p.m.).

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