LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The University of Redlands Men's Basketball team (8-2) saw their winning streak end after allowing University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) to score 62 second half points in a 104-97 loss that concluded the D3hoops.com Classic and the 2025 portion of their schedule.
It was a three-point barrage early from both sides trading five total three-pointers with Jake Hlywiak (Valencia, CA) making two and Chozen Amadi (Richardson, TX) knocking down another for the Bulldogs.
Following a Crusader jumper Cam Brown (Bakersfield, CA) got to the line and made two free throws to begin a quick 7-0 run to give the Bulldogs the largest lead of the game to that point at eight, 20-12, with 13:49 on the clock.
After a Crusader response three, Hlywiak and Lucas Gordon (San Marcos, CA) made back-to-back triples with Nathan Mattera (Fontana, CA) adding an assist for Redlands' first double-digit lead, 26-15, of the game.
UMHB pulled back to within one, 28-27, a few minutes later but once again Redlands had a quick response. In less than a minute and a half they earned three more points from Hlywiak and two from Gordon, Donovan Ware (Palmdale, CA), and Brown during a 9-0 push that re-established their double figure advantage.
The back-and-forth continued with the lead growing to as many as 11 before the Crusaders cut it to five with 2:40 on the clock. The Bulldogs then ended the half on a 10-3 run, leading by their largest margin of 12, 54-42.
Off the back of a solid defensive first half, Redlands looked to keep the momentum going, but much like the first few minutes of the game the Crusaders came out firing, but this time the Bulldogs was not able to match their offense, allowing seven straight to begin the half.
A Jhace Boston (Bakersfield, CA) layup helped stem the tide and make it a seven-point lead. But this advantage was never more than seven, as they were able to stay in front until UMHB made a three-pointer with 11:12 remaining that tied the game at 70-70.
Despite the early three-pointers allowed in the first half, the Bulldogs never trailed until a free throw gave the Crusaders the one-point lead, 71-70.
Brown and Gordon each made a free throw to put UR back on top with 10:14 to go before a 10-2 UMHB run made it a two-possession deficit, 81-75, with 7:51 still to play.
That 10-2 run extended another three minutes and reached 21-9, which put Redlands behind by double-digits, 92-82, inside of five to go.
Hlywiak and Derek Sangster (Sunnyvale, CA) combined for five quick points across the next :50 seconds which made it a five-point game. The back-and-forth turned the deficit into 10 at the 2:49 mark before Hlywiak and Brown converted from deep to pull the Bulldogs within four, 99-94, at the 1:16 mark.
UMHB, though, scored five of the final seven points in a second half comeback that saw them shoot 50 percent from the field, make nine three-pointers, and 13 free throws, which made them plus 19 in the half.
Hlywiak finished with 25 points thanks to five three-pointers and eight made free throws. Gordon posted a double double with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and two assists. Brown, Amadi, and Sangster were the other three Bulldogs in double figures with 15, 14, and 13, respectively. Omari Ferguson (Chicago, Ill.) had nine points in 21 minutes before fouling out.
Redlands ends their non-conference schedule and now turns to the first of 15 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) games in 2026. They begin with Pomona-Pitzer at home this Saturday, January 3 beginning at 7:00 p.m.
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