ALPINE, Texas - Using defense as their primary weapon and never conceding the lead, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball held down the University of Texas Dallas Comets, 59-45, taking the American Southwest Conference Tournament semi-final game. ETBU now advances to the ASC Championship game on Saturday with a 21-6 overall record.  
 
Keying ETBU's offense was Westin Riddick, who made five three-pointers to finish with 15 points while Christopher Haynes scored 14 points on seven field goals and was one rebound shy of a double-double. Robby Dooley would also score in double-figures finishing with 11 points. Jalen Weber and Michael Forster both tallied 12 points for the Comets.
 
ETBU finished shooting 36.4% from the field while holding UTD to 33.3%. The Tigers would also hit eight three-pointers in total and would take control of the paint outscoring UTD, 32-16. In addition, the Tigers had seven second chance points, eight fast break points, and 17 points off turnovers.
 
The Tigers started off strong with 10 unanswered points (20:00-13:27) before the Comets got on the board. UTD would get the score to 14-8 (7:41) with an 8-4 run over six minutes. Landin Brown (6:38) and Riddick (6:00) would put ETBU back up by double-digits, 19-8. The rest of the half would be all defensive as the Comets were held to 26.1% making just six field goals. Meanwhile, ETBU would grab a 27-16 lead at the break.
 
Throughout most of the second half, ETBU would cling to a double-digit lead increasing it to as much at 18 points (46-28) following a Haynes layup with 9:44 to go. However, the Comets would spark a rally that would be a 12-2 surge (9:07-6:23) to trail 48-40. But it would be Nine unanswered points by ETBU from Brown, Haynes, and Riddick that would put the game out of reach after UTD had come within eight. As Dooley converted two more free throws with 41 seconds left, ETBU found themselves with a spot in tomorrow's championship game with the 14-point win, 59-45.  
 
That game will be at 6:00 PM against LeTourneau University for the right to go to the NCAA Tournament. This will be ETBU's third appearance in the ASC championship game in six years. ETBU won the championship in 2015 and played for the championship in 2018.