LONGVIEW, Texas – In a battle to gain momentum in the American Southwest Conference East Division, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team fought valiantly back from 17 points down but came up short in the end to LeTourneau University, 92-85. ETBU is now 15-3 overall and 8-1 in the ASC East.

Christopher Haynes recorded a double-double with a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds while Robby Dooley posted 24 points. Nathan Fontenot would come off the bench to score 13 points. For LETU, Nate West recorded a game-high 33 points while four other Yellow Jackets finished in double-figures. LETU outshot ETBU 44.2%-43.7% from the field although ETBU had the edge in three-point shooting 43.8%-34.3%. Both teams finished with 43 rebounds on the night.
 
Things didn't start well for ETBU as LETU went on a 10-2 run (20:00-18:31) to start the game. Down by eight points, ETBU would answer back with a run that ended with Dooley (12:11) knotting the game at 17. But the half would change as LETU stormed away with 13 of the next 15 points to lead, 30-19 (11:36-8:17). ETBU would come as close as eight points, 32-24 (7:38), but couldn't keep pace with LETU who wound up taking a 47-34 lead at the break.

ETBU roared back to begin the second half with 12 straight points (20:00-16:49) as Landin Brown (19:38, 17:44) and Dooley (19:14, 17:20) combined to score nine of the 12 points. ETBU would grab their first lead on a Fontenot three-pointer (15:27) at 51-50 and each team would trade baskets after that. LETU separated themselves from ETBU to lead 71-63 (8:27), but again, ETBU worked their way back and retake the lead at 74-73 on a pair of Dooley free throws (5:30). After Haynes made a three-point play to lead 77-75 (5:02), LETU would score nine unanswered points (4:34-1:46) to go up, 84-77, which ETBU would not be able to recover from. The Jackets held off a last effort from ETBU to take the game, 92-85.
 
ETBU will look to bounce back Saturday when they take on LETU again at 3:00 PM in Marshall, Texas.