BELTON – No. 3 Mary Hardin-Baylor cranked up the intensity in the second half and went on to a 41-8 victory over McMurry at Tiger Field Saturday night. The Crusaders' defense scored three touchdowns and Quincy Daniels led the offense with two rushing scores to lead UMHB.

The Crusaders struggled to get going in the first half against McMurry's defense. UMHB had averaged 35 points in the first half against its first two opponents, Southern Nazarene and Texas Lutheran. However, Saturday, due to a solid effort from defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn's McMurry defense, the Crusaders scored just 14 in the first half.

Daniels scored on a 1-yard run with 8:02 left in the first quarter to put UMHB up 7-0. However, in the second half McMurry forced two fumbles to slow the Crusaders. On the first play of the second half, Titus Williams knocked the ball out of Rickie Williams' hands and McMurry's Will Morris recovered.

The two teams exchanged possessions and then McMurry went three-and-out for the second-straight drive. After a punt to the Crusaders' 16-yard line, UMHB pieced together its second scoring drive on an 11-play 84-yard drive capped by Daniels' 3-yard score to put the home team up 14-0.

McMurry ran an 8-play 13-yard drive after that scoring drive and was forced to punt. John Kowalski's punt sailed 42 yards to the UMHB 31-yard line, and after a 10-yard return b Bryson Tucker, McMurry's Brian Gonzales knocked the ball out and Keith Booth recovered for the visitors. With 1:15 left, McMurry was unable to score and went to the locker room with a two-touchdown deficit.

The Crusaders drove to the McMurry 2-yard line in the opening drive of the second half, however, McMurry's defense would make a stand at the goalline and got the ball back on downs after Williams and Josh McKinnis stuffed Daniels on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line.

However, after that, the perennial NCAA Division III power showed its true colors. On McMurry's ensuing drive, it was forced to punt and Kawolski's punt was blocked by Micah Spicer and he recovered in the end zone for a score.

On the next possession, Lee Munn took back McMurry quarterback Jake Mullin's only interception for a 31-yard touchdown to put UMHB up 28-0. McMurry punted on the next drive when Mullin pooch punted it on fourth down to the Crusaders' 2-yard line. With 98 yards to go, UMHB took just four plays to score its fifth touchdown of the game capped by UMHB's backup quarterback LiDarral Bailey who scampered in for a 14-yard score.

McMurry became the first team in the 2009 season to score on UMHB before the fourth quarter when after Bailey's touchdown run, the extra point attempt was blocked by Kelvrett Mattox and Jimmy Terrell scooped the ball and ran around 85-yards back for a 2-point score.

On the ensuing drive, McMurry put together an 11-play 51-yard drive capped by Mullin's seventh touchdown pass of the season, which went to Delfonte Diamond from one yard out to make the score 34-8 with 13:11 left in the fourth quarter.

UMHB scored with 5:36 left on Bryson Tucker's seven-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. McMurry's running back Keenan Alford, stepped awkwardly on his ankle, which caused him to lose the ball and Tucker took advantage and scored.

Alford left the game on a cart and McMurry also lost its starter, Chantz Purvis to injury during the game as well. The Crusaders gained 466 yards of offense while McMurry totaled 187. Five players for UMHB had at least 40 yards rushing.

Mullin was 22 of 43 for 166 yards through the air to accompany his one touchdown and interception. Defensively, McMurry's Will Morris and Drew Wallace reached double-digit tackles with 12 and 11 respectively. UMHB's Javicz Jones had eight tackles and one for a loss.

McMurry will try to rebound for its first win of the season back in Abilene Saturday against East Texas Baptist at 6 p.m.