SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Unable to contain a third quarter surge by the #9 University of St. Thomas (Minn.), the East Texas Baptist University women's basketball started their 2019-20 season dropping their first contest, 54-40, at the Trinity University Classic. ETBU will face another top 10 team on Sunday against #8 George Fox University.
 
Mallory Stephens led the Tigers with 10 points on four-of-seven shooting from the field. Kim Childress would finish with seven points and a team-leading five rebounds while Amanda Wilson contributed six points and four rebounds. UST was led by Brynne Rolland, who had 12 points and six rebounds while Shayla Wallin scored 10 points. Madi Schirmer finished as the game's leader with four assists.
 
UST outshot ETBU 37%-29% from the field while maintaining a 30-23 edge in rebounding. They also won the points off turnovers battle with 13 to ETBU's six. The Tigers's bench would outscore STU's 25-21.
 
The first quarter would be a tight defensive battle as both teams combined for 15 points with UST taking an 8-7 lead. ETBU would only manage one field goal the entire quarter with Stephens (2:51) scoring a layup while finishing with three points in the first. Wilson (7:02) and Haley Fieseler (1:08) would add free throws to make seven points for the Tigers.
 
Down 13-7 in the second, ETBU would answer with six unanswered points as Childress (7:31) and Wilson (6:40) tallied baskets while Stephens would (5:22) tie the score at 13 apiece. But the rest of the quarter saw the Tommies finish with a 7-2 run to lead 20-15 at the break.
 
ETBU would start the second half with baskets by Childress (9:22) and Kendrick Clark (8:54) to trail by one, 20-19. But the game would then swing in UST's favor as they would score 15 straight points (6:49-2:21) to lead 35-19. ETBU would manage one field goal for the rest of the third quarter (1:23) by Wilson as the Tommies took a 38-21 lead after three quarters.
 
UST would continue their momentum as they increased their margin to 41-23 (8:40). ETBU would put together a small rally scoring nine of the next 13 points (8:33-3:27) to trail 45-32. Free throws by Mollie Daniel (7:56) and a layup by Stephens (6:01) would contribute to the run. But while ETBU finished outscoring the Tommies 19-16 in the fourth quarter, the margin was too much to overcome.
 
ETBU will look to come away with a split tomorrow when they take on #8 George Fox University at 3:00 PM.