#TIGERSWIN | @ETBU_MBSK Moves to 2-0 as Five Players Score in Double Figures

MARSHALL, Texas - Ignited by a dominate first half, the East Texas Baptist University men’s basketball team gave their home crowd something to cheer for in their first home event since March securing an 87-68 win over Howard Payne University. In their debut at Ornelas Gymnasium, ETBU is now 2-0 for first time since the 2016-17 season. 

Five Tigers would obtain double-figures in scoring as Jayden Williams came off the bench to lead the charge scoring a career-high 19 points on six-of-nine shooting, including four three’s. Aaron Gregg (17 points), Chris Haynes (15 points), Charlie Cochran (12 points), and Logan Blow (10 points) also scored inn double-digits. Landin Brown would set a new career-high with 13 rebounds and six assists while Gregg led ETBU with seven assists. Tyrell Thompson (19 points) was one rebound shy of a double-double while Jaylan Ballou scored 13 points for HPU.

Both teams made 40% from the field, but it was ETBU’s ability to hit from three-point percentage (31.0%-25.8%) and free throws (82.8%-66.7%) that proved to be decisive on the offensive end. ETBU won the rebounding battle 49-35 and dished out 20 of the game’s 35 assists. In addition, ETBU’s paint game proved to be a big factor as ETBU outscored HPU 34-26. 

FIRST HALF | ETBU 43, HOWARD PAYNE 24

HPU would start the game with a 6-2 run (20:00-17:26) to seize the early lead. ETBU would then battle back to trail, 11-9, with Haynes scoring seven straight points (16:44, 16:04, 14:20). Over the next eight minutes, ETBU would changed the momentum with a 22-8 run (13:58-4:45) starting with a three-pointer by Blow (13:58). Among the scorers in the stretch was Williams posing nine of his 10 first-half points in the run as ETBU built a 31-19 margin. ETBU would then create another run of 12-5 in the final four minutes going up 43-24 at the break.

ALLEY - OOP!!!

SECOND HALF | ETBU 44, HOWARD PAYNE 44

Five unanswered points (20:00-18:52) by HPU to start the second half brought the Yellow Jackets within 14 points, 43-29, but the rest of the half belonged to ETBU as they would reach their first 20-point lead following a pair of Blow free-throws (51-31, 17:15). Williams would continue his hot-shooting (14:43, 14:02, 8:41) with three baskets from downtown while Gregg and Cochran combined for 17 points, including an alley-oop dunk (7:26). ETBU would reach their largest lead at 85-58 with just under three minutes to play(2:58), but HPU would end the contest on a 10-2 run to make the final, 87-68. 

ETBU will host Sul Ross State University this Thursday at 7:30 PM in a non-conference game.