MARSHALL, Texas – With the regular season nearing its end and already clinching an American Southwest Conferent tournament spot, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team will finish out two games this week. They will start out with a quick drive to Longview for their game against LeTourneau University on Tuesday night while they will host the University of Texas Dallas at Ornelas Gymnasium on Saturday.
 
Last weekend saw the Tigers split their two games against Belhaven University and Louisiana College. ETBU managed to steal a come from behind 84-83 victory against BU with Robby Dooley and Jordan Gray each scoring 21 points to lead the way. Although ETBU fell 81-76 against LC two days later, Nathan Fontenot and Christopher Haynes led the way for the Tigers with 17 points apiece.
 
ETBU currently has the ASC East fourth seed locked up with a 12-11 overall record and 8-6 in conference play. Averaging 82.3 points per game, Dooley is the top offensive producer with 19.9 ppg, 124 rebounds, and 62 assists while also collecting 30 steals. Gray (11.9 ppg), Fontenot (11.7 ppg), and Haynes (10.5 ppg) fill out the rest of ETBU's top scorers who are averaging in double figures. Elsewhere, Zach Elliott is the top shot blocker with 23 on the season while Westin Riddick remains ETBU's three-point leader having made 56 three's on the season.
 
The Tigers will look to even the regular season series against LETU following a tough 85-84 loss back on January 8^th. Right now, the Yellow Jackets have won five straight contests to bring their record to 16-7 overall and 10-4 in the East Division, which puts them in second.  Nate West remains LETU's top scorer by averaging 23.6 ppg while dishing out 104 assists. Caleb Loggins (17.0 ppg) grabs a team-high 173 rebounds and currently has 54 blocks.
 
On Saturday, ETBU hosts the Comets of UTD, who are currently the top team in the division with a 19-4 overall record that is helped by their 11-3 conference record. ETBU will also look to split their regular season series with UTD after losing in their first meeting in Richardson. Demitrius Underwood is the scorer (22.1 ppg), rebounder (10.0 rpg), and stealer (56) for the Comets while Jalen Webber has 84 assists.
 
Having secured a spot in the top four East Division team, the Tigers will look to use the next two games as preparation for the conference tournament as head coach Brandon Curran explains. "We're just trying to keep getting better," said Coach Curran. "We're trying to build habits. Defensively, we're trying to put guys in position to be successful offensively. We're trying to play different roles and play to their strengths. To clinch a spot with two games still to play really allows us to not worry about that and worry about how we can get better going into the conference tournament."
 
Tipoff for both games will start at 7:30 PM on Tuesday night and 3:00 PM on Saturday.