MARSHALL, Texas – Clutch plays down the stretch proved to be decisive for the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team as they hung on to an exhilarating 73-68 victory over the Sul Ross State University Lobos at Ornelas Gymnasium on Saturday night. The Tigers not only ended their three-game losing streak to the Lobos but they also propelled themselves to a two-game winning streak as they are 4-2 overall and 2-1 in ASC East Division play.
ETBU was led by Nathan Fontenot and Christopher Haynes who each scored 18 points. Robby Dooley posted yet another double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Landin Brown dished out nine assists on the night while grabbing six rebounds. On the other side, Tristen Licon was SRSU's top scorer with 18 points while B.J. Hollis and Conner Dawson scored 17 and 14 points respectively.
All game long, the Tigers outshot the Lobos in two shooting categories from field goal percentage (45.5%-40.0%) and three-point field goals (53.3%-34.8%) while both teams made 75% from the free throw line. ETBU managed to control the paint with a 34-28 edge in points and saw the bench score 41 points to SRSU's nine. From the defensive perspective, the Tigers managed 38 rebounds to 34 from SRSU.
The Lobos seized control early with a two three's (18:53-18:12) from the start. ETBU managed to wrap up a combined seven points from Jarrell Taylor (18:40, 16:30) and Westin Riddick (17:56) to go up 7-6. Following a three by SRSU (15:46) for a 9-7 edge, the Tigers ran off nine unanswered points (14:55-12:28) as Haynes (14:08, 13:07) led the way with four points. SRSU responded with six points in a row (11:31-11:01) to trail 18-15. Four points from Dooley (10:37, 10:08) and a three by Fontenot put the Tigers up by nine at 25-16 (9:49). The Lobos would get the score to within three only for the Tigers to push it back to nine again (6:55). With five minutes to go in the first, ETBU led 35-27 before the Lobos ran off an 11-3 run to tie the game going into halftime at 38.
SRSU would start the second half with back-to-back baskets to go up 43-39 (18:45). Yet for the next five minutes, ETBU would stay close with Fontenot (17:02, 16:17) and Haynes (14:46, 14:01) rallying the team to a tie the score at 49. ETBU then grabbed the lead with a 7-4 run as Fontenot (13:00) and Spencer Cochran (11:21) made three's while Haynes tacked on three points for a 60-53 control (9:27). But SRSU refused to back down as they would trim the deficit down to 62-60 (5:57) following a 7-2 answer. Haynes would make key shots scoring five points (5:30-4:32) as ETBU led 67-62 before a Lobos' layup (4:32) made it a three-point game. This would stay the same for three-and-a-half minutes as both teams made defensive stops and forced turnovers. The Lobos then came within one, 67-66, with 52 seconds left, but Fontenot's three made it a two-possession game at 70-66 (0:28). SRSU missed the jumper and fouled Brown, who went one-for-two (0:20) from the line to extend the lead to 71-66. A basket by the Lobos made it 71-68 (0:17) and they would get the ball back moments later. But their attempt to score was denied by Haynes, who came up with a clutch block leading to a foul on Dooley. It took two free throws for the Tigers to finish with a 73-68 win.
ETBU will have one more home game for the 2018 year as they host Howard Payne University at 7:30 PM.
