MARSHALL, Texas – Down three points, 61-58, with nine minutes to go in the game, East Texas Baptist University went on an 11-0 run in three minutes to take an eight-point lead over Rust College (4-9), 69-61, moving on for the 88-79 victory. ETBU is now 7-1 overall as they head into the Christmas break and improved their home winning streak to 26 games.

Four players scored at least 10 points for ETBU, including Junior Mitchell who had a game-high 21 points. In the second half alone, Mitchell scored 13 points. He also chipped in five rebounds, two assists and three steals.

"We all got it together, picked it up, made that run and got the win," said Mitchell.

Bret Atkins had 15 points, six rebounds and two assists, while Isaiah Thomas came off the bench and shot six-of-six from the field and totaled 12 points, three rebounds and two steals.

After a scoreless first-half performance, Jamil Samuel had 13 second-half points. He finished the day with 13 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots. Curtis Stuckey led Rust College with 15 points.

"We wanted to finish with a win," said Samuel before heading into the Christmas break.

ETBU led the entire first half with a lead of 13 at one point which was the largest of the game, 38-25, on a three-pointer by Jay McKnight. ETBU was up 7-6 early in the game and went on a 13-5 run over four minutes for a 20-11 lead. That run also ended in a McKnight three-pointer. Atkins scored six points in the run. ETBU had an 11-point lead, 38-27, with 5:36 to go in the half but each team couldn't find the rim for the next two minutes until Thomas banked in a lay up for a 40-27 lead. Thomas scored six points in a minute in a half to make it 44-32 as Rust cut the lead to eight, 44-36 at the half.

Ahead by a 44-36 margin at the half, ETBU momentarily fell behind as Rust used a second-half spurt to claim the lead, 61-58, with 9:03 remaining in regulation. In those final nine-plus minutes, however, ETBU shot eight-of-10 from the floor (80.0 percent) and converted 11 free throws to emerge victorious. In the 11-0 run in the four minutes that ETBU retook the lead, Samuel had six points on two three-pointers and Thomas added four with an Atkins free throw.

For the game, ETBU shot 49.3 percent (34-of-69) and hit 53.8 percent of its shots in the second half (14-of-26). In comparison, Rust shot exactly 50.0 percent (34-of-68). ETBU held a 48-to-30 advantage in rebounding.

ETBU returns to action on Christmas break competing in the University of Texas-Tyler Christmas Classic. On Dec. 29, ETBU faces Southwestern (Texas) University at 2:30 p.m.

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via GIPHY