MARSHALL, Texas – Two career milestones took place on Saturday afternoon in Ornelas Gym as the East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team held off Southwestern University, 69-66, in the 2015-16 season opener. ETBU head coach Edsel Hamilton received his first career win in his coaching debut and senior April Leonard posted a career-high 30 points.

It was Leonard's senior leadership that pushed ETBU through the final two minutes of the fourth quarter as ETBU pulled out the three-point win. After Southwestern hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:19 to go, 66-65, Leonard swooshed in  her sixth three-pointer of the day to put ETBU back in front, 68-66, at the 1:06 mark. ETBU's defense took a stand in the next minute and then Leonard was fouled with eight seconds left. She then made one free throw before the second was called off due to a lane violation for a three-point lead, 69-66.

Leonard finished the night shooting 10-of-15 from the floor, including a six-of-eight performance from three-point range, and also chipped in four assists and four steals. Southwestern's Olivia Podaras also had 30 points. Taylee Alexander contributed a team-best nine rebounds for ETBU to go along with a half dozen points. Lauren Lee also had six points and three blocked shots.

As a team, ETBU shot 29.0 percent in the opening half, converting nine of 31 field-goal attempts. In comparison, Southwestern hit 33.3 percent of its first-half shots from the floor, converting 11 of 33 field-goal attempts.

Holding onto a 16-15 lead in the first quarter, ETBU scored one more point than Southwestern in the second quarter, 11-10, for the 27-25 lead at the half. In the first quarter, Southwestern had an 8-5 lead but ETBU went on an 8-0 run for the 13-8 lead. Leonard had five of the eight points scoring the first five on a three-pointer and lay up. ETBU never lost the lead after that in the first half. ETBU moved their lead to 10, 27-17, in the second quarter at the 4:50 mark on another Leonard lay up off a fast break. ETBU then did not score in the last four minutes as Southwestern cut the lead to two, 27-25 at the half.

During the third quarter, ETBU matched its largest lead of the day following a pair of successful 3-point shot by Ambrosia Woodard that made it a 49-39 game. Southwestern came within a single point after a 3-point basket by Podaras with under 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, but ETBU hung on for the three-point win. In the second half, ETBU hit of 17 of 32 shots, good enough for a 53.1 shooting percentage.

ETBU plays its first road game this season on Tuesday night, facing host Centenary College (La.) at 5:30 p.m.