TYLER, Texas – Rallying in the fourth quarter to come back from a seven-point deficit, the East Texas Baptist University women's basketball won their first post-season game in eight years upsetting the West Division #3 seed the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 73-70, as they advance to the second round of the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament. ETBU now has 17 wins which is the most since the 2006-07 season when they won 22.
With thirty-seven seconds left, two big free throws by April Leonard gave ETBU a 66-65 lead, which they would never give back. UMHB managed to cut the lead to 71-70 before Leonard added more free throws to seal the win. ETBU was down by as many as 12 points in the game before coming back in the fourth quarter.
“We had to keep fighting tonight and defend like we have never defended before,” says head coach Edsel Hamilton. “We locked down and played like there was no tomorrow because if we didn't win our season was over. I am so proud of how the team kept fighting and being mentally tough too and making a lot of free throws late in the game.”
Leading the way for ETBU was Taylee Alexander with 20 points and nine rebounds. Leonard contributed 18 points and four assists while Lauren Lee had 13 points. Morgan Garrett had seven points while Cekret Davis had four points and seven assists. For UMHB, Jonelle Smith had 21 points.
ETBU won the field goal shooting with 41.8% to the 34.4% shot by UMHB. They also made 38.9% from three point land while UMHB made 10%. UMHB did make 96% of free throws while ETBU only made 80%. ETBU outrebounded UMHB 48-32, dished out 20 assists to seven by UMHB, and scored 18 second chance points while the Crusaders made 13.
Starting the game on a 7-3 run, ETBU players Malaisia Chisholm and Alexander added two buckets followed by a three by Lee. The Crusaders would quickly answer with an 11-0 run to make it 14-7. ETBU would then cut the lead to 16-14 by buckets from Delia Hopkins, Lee, and a three by Leonard. Leonard would hit another three to make the 18-17 in UMHB's favor before free throws would make it 20-17 after the first quarter.
UMHB started the second quarter with a 6-0 run before Leonard hit another three-point shot. The Crusaders would continue to increase their lead to 12 points, 32-20, with 4:21 left in the half. At 34-24 with 2:25 to play, ETBU would quickly finish the quarter on a 5-2 run with free throws by Leonard and a three pointer by Garrett. At halftime, ETBU trailed 36-29.
ETBU started to claw their way back into the game with a 10-4 run in the third quarter. Alexander and Lee would lead the way during this run. But after a three-point play by Mackenzie Coffey to give UMHB a three point lead at 42-39, UMHB went on a run to increase their lead to 46-40. Again, ETBU fought back as a three by Garrett and a basket by Hopkins made it 46-45. But again, the Crusaders had an answer as they finished the quarter with a 9-2 run to make it 55-47 after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, ETBU charged back into the game with a 10-2 run to tie it at 57. Baskets by Davis, Hopkins, a three by Leonard, along with a three-point play by Alexander tied the score. The two teams would then trade baskets as UMHB would take the lead only for ETBU to tie it again. When Alexander converted another three-point play to make it 64-63 for the Tigers, Destini Oakmon would hit a jumper for UMHB with fifty-two seconds left for a one-point UMHB lead, 65-64. That was when Leonard was fouled and would make her free throws to give ETBU a lead they would never relinquish, 66-65, with 37 seconds left. ETBU would go 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the final 20 seconds to seal the win over UMHB and advance on in the ASC Tournament.
ETBU will play on Friday night at 7:30 pm where they will face #1 seed and host Texas-Tyler.
