JACKSON, Miss. – Scoring 40 points in the paint with five players scoring in double figures, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team came away with a 75-60 win over Centenary College (La.) in the Millsaps College Snyder Classic. ETBU advances to the championship game on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. and is now 1-1 on the year.
Jayden Williams led the scoring with 19 points making 50% of his shots from the floor and hitting three three-pointers.
Darry Moore posted 16 points and
Chris Haynes added 13 points and nine rebounds.
Charlie Cochran had 11 points and eight rebounds while
Aaron Gregg came away with 10 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. Jalen Behr had 14 points for Centenary.
ETBU out rebounded Centenary, 45-24, and forced 19 turnovers. ETBU shot 40% from the floor, 30% from the arc, and 78% from the free throw line while Centenary made 41% from the floor, 25% in three-pointers, and 72% from the line.
Centenary took a 5-0 lead in the first three minutes of the game before Williams put ETBU on the board with a three-pointer (16:41). The Gents made it a four-point lead, 7-3, just 20 seconds later but ETBU responded with an 11-2 run over two and half minutes for a five-point lead, 14-9. Williams, Cochran, and Moore all scored in the run. After Centenary came within three, 14-11 (12:51), ETBU added their second run outscoring the Gents, 10-2, for an 11-point lead, 24-13 (8:47). ETBU kept the momentum up the rest of the half with a double-digit lead from two minutes on in the half. Williams put ETBU up by 16 points, 43-27, with 19 seconds left in the half but Centenary hit a three to end it, 43-30, going into the locker room.
JAYDEN WILLIAMS
ETBU never lost the lead in the second half as Centenary came within seven points, 48-41, with 14:18 left. Two free throws by Moore gave ETBU an 11-point lead, 54-43, with 10:27 left. With 3:19 left in the game, Centenary was within five points, 63-58, but ETBU went 6-of-8 in free throws and had key buckets from Moore, Haynes, and
Ryan Elzy in the paint. Elzy finished off the scoring with 10 seconds left for the 15-point win, 75-60.
DARRY MOORE DUNK
STATS OF THE GAME
Aaron Gregg was close to a triple-double with 10 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.
ETBU scored 40 points in the paint and 24 points off turnovers.
NOTES
- Jayden Williams tied his career high of 19 points going 7-of-14 from the floor
- Darry Moore has now scored double figures in both games this year
- Chris Haynes was one rebound short of a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds
- Williams, Moore, Haynes, and Cochran were all 2-of-2 from the free throw line
- ETBU takes on Huntingdon College for only the fourth time and has a 3-0 record in the series. ETBU last met Huntingdon last year winning, 83-67
UP NEXT
ETBU will face Huntingdon College in the championship game on Sunday at 6:00 p.m.
