Abram Choate, SID

BROWNWOOD, Texas - In the second semi-final game of the 2006 ASC Men's Basketball Championship Tournament the Yellow Jackets of Howard Payne University defeated the Crusaders of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor,61-57 on Saturday in the Brownwood Coliseum.

The game started out close and remained close with both teams changing leads several times. At the 5:04 mark in the first the Yellow Jackets took a four point lead, 24-20, on a jumper by Matt Zinser. Then a 3-pointer by HPU's Kendrick Johnson brought the score to 27-20. Howard Payne went into the locker room up 29-23.

In the first three minutes of the second half the Crusaders started on a run cutting the score to 33-32 HPU.   Mary Hardin-Baylor took the lead 38-35 at the 13:20 mark on a lay-up by Neiman Ford. Howard Payne retook the lead only to have the Crusaders tie it again at 49-49 at 6:31 to play. HPU built a 4 point lead with 3 minutes to play. HPU went down by one but HPU's Johnson hit a 3-pointer with :32 seconds remaining to go up 59-57. The Yellow Jackets got a steal on the next possession and HPU's victor Hayes hits two free-throws to seal the game for the Yellow Jackets, 61-57.

Leading scorers for Howard Payne, Kendrick Johnson with a game high 27 points. Sean Wheeler added 10 and Matt Zinser had 10 rebounds. The Yellow Jackets improve to 20-6 on the season and will face Mississippi College on Sunday Feb. 26 at 2:00pm for the ASC Men's Basketball Championship

For UMHB, Ryan Burgart had 18 points and Kevin Guyden had 16. The Crusaders end their season with a 18-9 record.