MARSHALL, Texas – Unable to find their rhythm in the final home game of the season, the #14 East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team was unable to clinch the American Southwest Conference East Division championship as they dropped a 71-62 decision to the #18 University of Texas Dallas on Saturday afternoon. With the team's longest win streak of the year snapped, ETBU finishes the regular season at 22-3 and are 14-3 in the ASC East Division. They will be the #2 seed from the East Division in the upcoming ASC Championship Tournament in Belton, Texas.

The Tigers were led on offense by both Kendrick Clark and Kim Childress, who chipped in 17 points apiece. Sydney Saxton added 10 points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes played, while Taylor Singleton led the defensive charge with four steals in the game. Raenett Hughes led all scorers with 29 points for the Comets. ETBU connected on just 39 percent from the floor (22-of-56) and recorded just one three pointer (1-of-21) in the matchup. ETBU commanded a slight advantage on the boards, 37-36, over UTD.

 Valarie Matlock scored the game's first field goal, connecting on a layup right in the center of the Comet defense to bring the score to 2-0 at the 8:24 mark. A jumper by Hughes would square the game at 2-2 just 11 seconds later. It would take another minute for UTD to take the lead (4-2) with 7:14 on the clock in the early going. The Comets would lead by five (7-2) midway through the first until a 6-0 run, capped off by a jumper by Saxton to put the Tigers back on top 8-7 with 3:24 remaining in the quarter. The Comets led 13-12 in the final seconds of the first, when a layup by Clark on the breakaway gave ETBU the lead once again at 14-13 to end the first 10 minutes of play.

Amanda Wilson opened the second quarter with a short jumper in the paint, giving the Tigers its largest lead of the game thus far (16-13). UTD responded with a 9-2 run to go on top 22-18 over the next four minutes of play. Childress would connect on a layup to narrow the deficit to two (22-20) with 5:49 till the half. The Comets erupted over the final five minutes, closing the quarter with 20-6 run, taking a 16 point lead (42-26) into the locker room. UTD outscored ETBU 29-12 in the second quarter.

The Tigers stormed back in the early minutes of the third quarter. Matlock, Childress and Clark all contributed to a 10-0 spurt that narrowed the deficit to six (42-36) in the first five minutes of the quarter. UTD led the Tigers 50-43 at the 2:14 mark of the third quarter, until a short jumper by Saxton cut the Comet lead to five (50-45) in the final minute. A three pointer by Victoria Pena would keep the home team at bay, entering the fourth quarter with an eight point cushion at 53-45.

The Tigers would cut the deficit to four (59-55) after a layup by Erin Meeks with 4:25 left in the contest. In spite of a valiant push, ETBU was unable to overcome the deficit, falling to the Comets 71-62 in the final home game of the regular season.

The Tigers will travel to Belton, Texas, to compete in the ASC Tournament on Thursday, Feb. 21, facing Howard Payne University at 5:30 p.m.