BELTON, Texas – A slow start in the first quarter put the #9/10 East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team behind from the beginning as they were dealt their first loss of the season to the #23/24 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor 87-74. ETBU currently is 6-1 and is now 0-1 in American Southwest Conference play.
 
ETBU was led by Kendrick Clark, who posted 21 points and grabbed six rebounds while Amanda Wilson chipped in 13 of her own. Sydney Saxton would also contribute with 13 points while dishing out five assists, which was one behind Taylor Singleton. ETBU shot 37.3% from the field while making 38.5% from the three-point stripe. Leading UMHB was Alicia Blackwell with 25 points while Kendall Rollins posted 23 of her own.
 
From the opening tipoff, UMHB would catch fire as they would score the first eight points in the game (10:00-8:21). Saxton (7:37) and Erin Meeks (7:00) would cut the deficit to four points at 8-4. Yet, the Crusaders continued to up their momentum as they would go on a 16-4 run (6:36-2:49) to have a 24-8 lead. Following a three-pointer by Marissa Warren (2:38) to cut it to 24-11, UMHB finished with a 12-2 run to lead 36-13 after one quarter.
 
The Tigers were unfazed as they came out of the second quarter with a 9-2 run (10:00-7:04) led by seven points from Wilson in the stretch to trail 38-24. UMHB would increase the margin to 42-24 (5:48) only for ETBU to answer with a three from Clark (5:03). Down 44-29 (3:53), the Tigers would put together a strong finish as Saxton and Clark would team up for eight straight points while Bianca Bowring would cut the deficit to 44-39 (0:49). Following a three-pointer by UMHB with 26 seconds left, ETBU would have a made free-throw by Singleton (0:05) as the Tigers outscored UMHB 27-11 to trail 47-40 at halftime.
 
ETBU would continue their momentum with four straight points from Valarie Matlock (9:54, 9:34) trailing 47-44. But the Crusaders recovered and would take control with five points to go up 52-44 (8:48). Even after ETBU would cut into the deficit with four unanswered points, they were unable to keep pace as UMHB would continue to extend their lead with seven consecutive points (5:51-4:44). Once again, ETBU would cut into the margin by four points to get behind 60-56 (2:24). Yet, the Crusaders would manage to extend the lead to six points at 66-60 by the end of the three.
 
The fourth quarter would prove to be the turning point as ETBU could only watch UMHB outscore them 14-4 (10:00-4:13) from the start to go up 80-64. Clark would get the Tigers to within 11 points at 80-69 on five straight baskets (3:36-3:12). Then a three-pointer by Paige Royal (0:48) would see ETBU trail by single digits for the last time at 83-74 as UMHB would get their double-digit lead to finish winning 87-74.
 
The Tigers will look to bounce back on Saturday as they take on Concordia-Texas at 1:00 PM in Austin.