MARSHALL, Texas – Up by only one point at the half, 27-26, the #17 East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team held Sul Ross State University to just one point in the third quarter as they won, 59-41. ETBU is now 8-2 on the year and 4-1 in the American Southwest Conference.
 
Taylor Singleton led ETBU 12 points and nine rebounds adding three steals. Brooke Webster added 11 points while Mallory Stephens had nine points. Ashley Nunez had 10 points for SRSU. ETBU finished shooting 32% from the floor, 28% from the three-point line, and 58% from the stripe. They held SRSU to 24% shooting, 20% from the arc, and 59% from the free throw line. ETBU also out rebounded SRSU, 50-38, and forced 19 turnovers.
 
The first half was close as SRSU stuck with ETBU. SRSU came out with an 8-2 lead in the first three minutes (6:44) and moved it to a 10-4 lead by the six-minute mark. ETBU went on a 7-0 run to take the lead on a Grace Stephens three-pointer, 11-10, with 2:04 left but two free throws by SRSU gave them a 12-11 lead with 1:44 to go. Haley Fieseler hit a lay up at the 1:19 mark for a 13-12 lead as ETBU took the first quarter.
 
ETBU scored the first seven points in the second quarter for a 20-12 lead (5:33) before came back to com within two, 23-21, with 2:18 left. The 9-3 run put them in contention to take the lead but a Webster three-pointer made it 26-21 with under two minutes to play. SRSU came within one, twice, in the final 30 seconds before making one of two free throws cutting the lead to 27-26 at the half.
 
A defensive effort in third quarter was the difference as ETBU outscored SRSU, 13-1. It is the first time this season that ETBU allowed just one point in a period. The one point for SRSU came on a free throw at the 7:20 mark coming within two, 29-27. ETBU responded with an 11-0 run over six minutes for the 13-point lead, 40-27. Bridget Upton gave ETBU the lead on a layup with 1:33 left as that was the final shot made by ETBU in the period. Webster had five of the 11 points while Mallory Stephens added four points.
 
SRSU tried to make a comeback in the fourth quarter cutting the lead to 10, twice, with the last one at 44-34 with 6:58 left. Singleton nailed a three-pointer for a 13-point lead (47-34) before Jade Goynes pushed it to 15 points, 49-34, at the six-minute mark. Kaia Williams gave ETBU their first 20-point lead on a fast break layup, 58-38, with 1:45 left. Grace Stephens then made it 59-38 before SRSU hit a three-pointer with 10 seconds left for the final score of 59-41.
 
ETBU will host Howard Payne University on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. on ASC play.