MARSHALL, Texas - After falling behind early by 13 points, the #3 East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team rallied back using stifling defense to thwart off #10 University of Texas Dallas, 59-48. ETBU's historic winning has reached 18 games while they hold a 10-0 conference record to maintain first place in the American Southwest Conference. The 18 wins are currently the most in all of NCAA women's basketball.

Mallory Stephens would be the spark plug scoring 18 points while Kenidi White added nine points off the bench including key threes down the stretch. Taylor Singleton scored six points and grabbed eight rebounds. Jordan Maxwell and Raenett Hughes tallied 13 and 10 points respectively for the Comets.

ETBU outshot the Comets from the field (40.8%-22.6%), three-point range (35.3%-25.0%), and free throws (65.0%-64.3%). Out rebounding the Comets 44-35, the Tigers recorded 21 points off their bench while holding UTD to nine while 26 of the Tigers' points were in the paint.

Hanna Hudson started the game off with a three-pointer (9:47) for ETBU. However, the Comets would take command scoring 16 straight points (9:18-5:36) while holding ETBU without a basket for three-and-a-half minutes. Singleton then broke the drought with 5:14 left for the fifth point of the quarter. UTD would extend their margin to 19-8 before Singleton would get four points to end the first quarter with ETBU down 19-12.

UTD kept their momentum on their side with a 5-2 run to start the second quarter and lead 24-14 (7:08). That would be the last basket they would score in the quarter as ETBU tallied 13 straight points to enter halftime up, 27-24, going on a 13-0 run. Knocking down 50% on their shots while holding the Comets to 14.3% in the quarter, ETBU was led by Hudson (five points) and Mallory Stephens who combined for nine points. Haley Fieseler (6:20) and Bridget Upton (1:38) would also score for the Tigers to grab the lead at the half.

The game stayed close as ETBU created a 32-28 lead in the third quarter before White converted a three-point conversion (2:28) for a seven-point lead. Despite scoring 10 points in the quarter, UTD was held to just one field goal on 13 shots (7.7%). ETBU's lead would stretch to 39-31 before the quarter ended with a seven-point lead, 41-34.

A three by Mallory Stephens (9:41) started the fourth and gave ETBU their first 10-point lead of the game. UTD would manage to bring the score to within 44-38 in the first minute and a half. White would step up with a pair of three's (7:15-5:41) pushing the lead to 50-38. The Comets cut the deficit to 54-46 (1:13), but were unable to keep pace with the Tigers, who managed to pull away down the stretch for the win.

ETBU will hit the road next week with a Thursday night game against Concordia (TX) at 7:30 PM.