PINEVILLE, Louisiana – Rallying to tie the game with a minute-and-a-half left , the East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team gave up the game-winning score for Louisiana College as the Wildcats hung on for a 58-57 victory. ETBU now has a record of 18-5 overall and 12-4 in conference.

While no one for ETBU reached double figures in scoring, Kim Childress and Karley McHenry each led ETBU with nine points each while Childress tied Madison McCoy in rebounds with seven. Sydney Saxton was ETBU's leader with four assists. For LC, Kourtney McGhee was the game's top scorer with 15 points while Rydeja McQuarn had 10 points. Zharian Maxmillion finished with a game-high eight rebounds to lead the team.

ETBU did outshoot LC 40.4%-38.6% from the field and 33.3%-31.6% from downtown. They also outrebounded LC 39-36 while their bench outscored LC's 23-17. But while both teams made eight free throws each, LC made 44.4% from the free throw line while ETBU made 33.3%, which proved to be the difference.

LC started the game going on a 6-2 run (10:00-7:58) with Childress scoring the lone basket for ETBU (8:56). But Childress (7:40) and two three's by Katy Boren (6:32, 5:44) would give ETBU a 10-9 lead after an 8-3 run. But LC would tally seven of the next nine points in the final minutes of the quarter as they took a 16-12 lead after one. Saxton (1:21) would make her first points of the game in the first quarter.

Momentum continued for LC in the second quarter when they would race out to a 22-12 lead (7:25). However, a three by McCoy (6:40), a free throw by Saxton (5:35), and a jumper by Amanda Wilson (4:48) would cut the lead to 22-18. A recurring pattern would occur as LC would push their lead to seven points on two occasions (25-18, 28-21) only for ETBU to cut to as close as four twice (25-21, 29-25). Childress would make it a 29-27 deficit with a layup (0:38) before the Wildcats would take a four point lead of 31-27 on a layup into halftime.

ETBU started the second half on a three by Childress to cut the lead to 31-30 (9:28). But the Wildcats would answer with a 12-0 run (9:05-5:07) to grab a 43-30 edge. Baskets by Erin Meeks (4:54) and Mallory Stephens (4:27) ended the run to trail 43-34 before an LC layup (4:07) brought the lead back to 45-34. ETBU would soon string together five of the next seven points on free throws by Brittney Jones (3:12) and Meeks (1:17, 0:47), who also had a layup (2:34), to trail 45-39 before LC went back up by nine at 48-39 by the end of the third quarter.

Meeks (9:43), Saxton (8:40, 8:24), and Baylie Lindsey (8:04) made the deficit at 48-45 starting the fourth quarter only for LC to make a three to lead 51-45 (7:45). But ETBU would soon rally and tie the game at 54 (1:33) as a layup by Saxton (5:56), free throw by McCoy (2:19), and three's by Karley McHenry (3:44, 1:33) would lead to a tie score. The Wildcats would soon get the game-winning layup with 1:01 left to lead 56-54. ETBU would have a chance to tie on a few occasions, but a turnover and a missed three with thirty-seven seconds left gave LC the ball. The Wildcats sinked the free throw needed to win (0:09) before McHenry would hit the buzzer-beater to make the final score 58-57.

ETBU will return to action this Monday when they host LeTourneau at 5:30 PM.