#TIGERSWIN | 10 STRAIGHT WINS | @ETBU_WBSK Has Hot Hands Beyond the Arc

MARSHALL, Texas - Catching fire in the second half, the East Texas Baptist University women’s basketball team torched the nets in the 77-50 win over Hardin-Simmons University. For the first time in program history, ETBU is 10-0 and improves to 2-0 in the American Southwest Conference. ETBU made 52% from the arc swooshing 13 three-pointers overall and converted 83% of their shots in the third quarter (5-of-8).

Igniting the offense was Bridget Upton with 17 points. Taylor Singleton would finish with 10 points and lead with eight rebounds while Hanna Hudson contributed nine points. Kaia Williams would record eight points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. Leading the Cowgirls was Brittany Schnabel, who had 11 points while Hallie Edmondson tallied 10. 

ETBU’s red-hot shooting included a 44.3% performance from the field and 52.0% from downtown. They would managed to have a 26-9 edge in points off turnovers and score 41 of the 51 total bench points between the two teams. With 18 assists as well, the Tigers defense posted nine steals. 

FIRST QUARTER | ETBU 22, HSU 16

Opening the game with a Singleton three (8:41), Dittmar would contribute with ETBU’s next five points (6:52-6:13) to give ETBU an 8-4 lead. After a Cowgirl basket (5:59), the Tigers would then take control with three-pointers from Williams (4:25), Singleton (3:25), and Upton (2:42) to lead 17-9. Led by Edmondson, who scored 10 first quarter points, the Cowgirls cut the deficit to one, 17-16 (1:22), with just over a minute to play. Upton (1:04-0:59) and Mallory Stephens (0:05) would push the Tiger lead to six, 22-16, after one quarter. 

SECOND QUARTER | ETBU 40, HSU 26

Each team scored five points in the first half of the second quarter to make the contest 27-21 in ETBU’s favor. Following a layup at 4:26, ETBU took over by finishing the quarter on a 13-3 surge. Three-pointers made by Hudson (4:01) and Stelzer (3:34, 1:43) pushed the lead to 12, 36-24. Stelzer then converted another basket (1:06) to make it 38-26. On the final possession of the half, Williams stole the ball and fed Singleton, who converted the layup at the buzzer to lead 40-26. 

THIRD QUARTER | ETBU 66, HSU 41

The third quarter saw ETBU make close to 70% from the field with nine field goals as five three-pointers were made to take a 20+ point lead, 66-41. Hudson (9:21) and Mallory Stephens started ETBU off with three pointers to give them a 20-point lead, 46-26. Yet, the quarter would belong to Upton who poured in 10 points, including a run of seven straight on her own (7:45-7:17). This provided ETBU a 53-30 lead following a 13-4 run to start the quarter. The Cowgirls would get to within under 19 (53-34; 4:51), but that is as close as they would come. A three by Williams (0:58) would give ETBU their largest lead of the game of 28 points, 66-38, before the Cowgirls answered with a three to end the quarter, 66-41.

FINAL | ETBU 77,HSU 50

The fourth quarter managed just 20 points between the two teams as ETBU finished with an 11-9 margin. Mycah McDonald would contribute with seven points while Haley Fieseler, Grace Stephens, and Brooke Webster would also find the scoreboard. In the end, ETBU came away with a 77-50 win.