SEGUIN, Texas -- The Texas Lutheran Bulldogs gave Mike Wacker a win in his first game as head coach as TLU held off the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor 87-84 Tuesday night in Memorial Gymnasium.

Wacker, the former coach of the Converse Judson Rockets, opened his collegiate head coaching career with the non-conference win over the Crusaders.

TLU trailed at the half 43-42 but opened up a double-digit lead in the second half. UMHB fought back to tie the game at 84-84 and had a shot with less than three seconds to play to win it.

Demarius Cress' runner in the lane bounced off the rim, and Bulldog senior Zach Behr came up with the rebound. Behr hit a pair of free throws with under two seconds remaining to make it a three-point game.

Cress' desperation half-court three at the buzzer did not draw iron.

TLU Preseason All-American Sterling Holmes paced the Bulldogs with 25 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Fellow senior Jordan Kouremetis added 13 points.

Matthew Gillette contributed 14 points and five rebounds off the bench. Bulldog junior Harris Jowell registered 10 rebounds, four points and four assists. Reserve sophomore Michael Sullivan collected six rebounds, seven points and three assists.

Daniel Mills scored 30 for the Cru. Aubrie King and Cress added 23 and 16, respectively. Mills was 9-for-18 from the field and 12-for-12 from the line.

TLU hit 13 of its 26 three-point attempts. The Bulldogs were 8-for-15 from the arc in the second half.

TLU hits the road and plays its next two games in Abilene - Thursday night at McMurry University (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday afternoon at Hardin-Simmons University (new time of 4 p.m.).