TYLER, Texas – Playing hard for three quarters, the East Texas Baptist University women's basketball could not keep pace with the hot fourth quarter shooting of the University of Texas Tyler Patriots as they ended up losing 78-68. This loss puts ETBU at 17-4 overall and 11-3 in conference play.
 
Madison McCoy posted a season high 21 points to lead ETBU while Sydney Saxton, who led with a game-high four assists, posted 15 points and Amanda Wilson added 13 of her own. Kim Childress was ETBU's leading rebounder with eight. Four UTT players in Alex Kochner (18 points), Carissa Spiker (15 points), Brittany Johnson (14 points) and Bianca Valderrama (12 points) reached the double-figures club.
 
Throughout the game, ETBU was outshot by UTT from the field (46.4%-41.5%), three-point line (30.4%-23.5%) and free throw line (82.6%-76.9%). UTT also outrebounded ETBU 39-24 in the contest. But ETBU did score 34 points in the paint while holding UTT to 30 points.
 
Saxton started the game with a layup (9:24) before UTT would answer with three straight points. Wilson would then give ETBU a 4-3 lead (8:44). This would be ETBU's last lead in the game as UTT would respond with a 6-3 run to lead 10-6 (6:26). ETBU would tie the game at 11 on a three-pointer by Saxton (5:05) only to give up a seven straight points (4:43-3:01) to trail 18-11. Both teams would then score a few more baskets before it was 22-16 after one quarter. 
 
McCoy would spark a 7-2 run (10:00-8:04) with all seven points to trail 24-23. But UTT's persistence would help give them an 8-1 run (7:30-5:49) to grab a 31-24 lead. ETBU struggled for the next few minutes to get within a single possession game as UTT took a 35-29 lead with 4:12 to play. ETBU finally got to within three as free throws by Katy Boren made it 35-32 (3:31). She would then answer a UTT three with one of her own to make it 38-35 before McCoy would tack on a jumper to cut the lead to one at 38-37 (2:16). Over the final minutes, ETBU was unable to grab the lead and the score would remain 38-37 at halftime. 
 
The third quarter would be scoreless for the first two minutes until UTT broke through at 7:59. ETBU would get their first basket of the quarter from Brittney Jones (6:28). Over the next few minutes, UTT would extend the lead to as much as five points only for ETBU to cut the deficit to two at 47-45 (2:55). UTT would then reach a lead of 52-46 (1:59) before ETBU would cut it to 52-50 with 1:05 to play. However, UTT would answer with five straight points to end the quarter up 57-50. 
 
In the fourth quarter, ETBU would cut the lead to as close as 61-55 (7:11) on a three-point play by McCoy. But UTT would reach their double-digit lead of the game at 66-55 (5:37). They would continue to lead by double-digits increasing their lead to as much as thirteen points (73-60) with 2:19 to go. ETBU would then cut the deficit to seven points at 73-66 (1:05). But UTT would secure the double-digit lead for good and hang on to the 78-68 victory.
 
ETBU will return home this coming Thursday when they host Belhaven at 5:30 PM.