CLARKSVILLE, Ark. – Kick started by a strong first quarter performance, the #14/15 East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team would ride that momentum the rest of the way earning a 69-56 win over the University of Ozarks. ETBU is 17-2 overall with a 9-2 in the American Southwest Conference East Division.
ETBU had two players in double figures with
Kim Childress leading the way scoring 18 points and grabbing five rebounds.
Amanda Wilson contributed 14 points while
April Matthews tallied nine points.
Sydney Saxton led ETBU with six assists to go with six points. UO had three scorers in double figures led by Delanei Stephens (16 points), Hailey Ostrander (10 points) and a double-double from Diamond Goodwyn (11 points, 10 rebounds).
ETBU outshot UO 45.8%-38.5% from the field and made 73.3% from the free-throw line. ETBU also won scoring categories ranging from points in the paint (34-22), points off turnovers (24-15), fast break points (25-6), and bench points (25-15). Although the Eagles outrebounded ETBU, 38-31, the Tigers forced 24 turnovers.
UO started off with five straight points (10:00-8:14) before Childress brought ETBU even with five points of her own (7:46-7:15). A pair of Wilson jumpers kept the game tied at nine (5:06) before Matthews would give ETBU their first lead at 12-10 (3:38) on a three. Following free throws by UO (2:46) to tie the game 12-12, ETBU ran off 14 of the final 16 points including four from Matthews (1:56, 1:16), who finished with seven in the quarter. ETBU led 26-14 after one quarter.
Seven straight Tiger points to start the second quarter was fueled by five points from Childress (9:03-8:30) while
Valarie Matlock added a layup to push ETBU up 33-14 (7:40). UO would only manage to get as close as fourteen (33-19) with five unanswered points (7:30-5:31). The nineteen point lead for ETBU returned on two different occasions (5:23, 3:03) before finishing with a sixteen point halftime lead at 44-28.
A 20-point Tiger cushion (50-30) was reached when ETBU started a 6-2 run (10:00-7:56), which included four points from Wilson (8:41-7:56). Trading a pair of UO free throws (6:15) was Saxton, who made it 52-32 (6:03). The Eagles however would finish the quarter strong with 10 points in contrast to a
Kayla Bise three-pointer (2:09) as ETBU would keep the lead at 55-42 entering the final quarter.
ETBU's top scorers of Childress (9:21) and Wilson (8:45) would extend the margin to seventeen points at 59-42 at the start of the fourth. But the Eagles clawed back into the contest with a 14-5 run (8:00-3:26) to get the game within 64-56. This would be the closest UO would get to as Singleton brought the lead back to double-digits (2:19) with a layup and a free throw (0:47). Two more Tiger free throws made the final score 69-46.
ETBU will have another go with UO this Thursday at 5:30 PM at Ornelas Gymnasium.
