ALPINE, Texas - After being down 15 points in the first quarter, the #2 East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team came roaring back taking care of Sul Ross State University, 72-56, in the semifinals of the American Southwest Conference Tournament. ETBU is now 25-0 and advances to the ASC Tournament Championship game vs. the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on Monday at 6:00 p.m. This will be the second appearance in four years to play for a championship.

Three Tiger players led in double-digits as Mallory Stephens (17 points), Hanna Hudson (15 points), and Taylor Singleton (10 points, six rebounds) combined for 42 points. Haley Fieseler would notched six rebounds along with five points while Kaia Williams collected seven points and four assists. Vania Hampton led SRSU with 15 points while Cassie Hogan with 14 points and Kaylee Martinez added 10 points.

Overcoming a cold shooting first quarter, ETBU finished out shooting SRSU 41.5%-32.2% from the field. Knocking down 12 three-pointers, ETBU made 52.2% from three-point range and out rebounded the Lobos 49-36. ETBU would come through in the paint (26-20) and 25-20 on points off turnovers.

ETBU started the contest off with a three-pointer from Singleton (9:33) but would struggle the rest of the quarter. They would only make three more field goals to finish shooting just 20.0% from the field and 10 points. SRSU would kick off their first quarter with 11 straight points (8:29-6:43) to lead 11-3. The closest ETBU would get was 16-10 with 1:58 left in the quarter. Yet, the Lobos would knock down three three-pointers to lead 25-10 after the first quarter.

Unfazed by the deficit, the Tigers would equal the score with 15 straight points (10:00-3:20) with Mallory Stephens (8:21-7:44) putting in five points in the stretch. Also scoring were Hudson (9:44), Fieseler (9:09), Singleton (5:44), Emma Stelzer (3:35), and Mollie Dittmar (3:20). SRSU was held without a basket for almost seven minutes in the quarter but answered with four straight points while Dittmar (2:03) and Stelzer (1:29) tied the score at 29. The Lobos would grab the lead at halftime, 31-29.

With the score tied at 34 to open the third quarter, Singleton netted a three-pointer (8:28) which gave ETBU a lead they would never relinquish. The Lobos would make it 37-36 on a pair of three-throws, but the Stephens sisters of Mallory (8:00) and Grace (6:14) would help increase the Tiger lead to 45-38. From that point on, the Lobos would not challenge the Tigers. Five straight points from Bridget Upton (4:08-3:38) helped turn the quarter into a 30-point production and a 59-46 lead after three quarters.

Six straight points by ETbu gave them a 65-46 lead with 8:09 to play in the fourth quarter. SRSU made it 65-50 before Mallory Stephens' layup and Hudson's fifth three of the game made it a 20-point cushion, 70-50, which was the largest lead of the game. ETBU would get one more basket from Kyla West while holding SRSU to six points for the 72-56 victory.

ETBU will now play for the American Southwest Conference Tournament Championship on Monday night at 6:00 PM against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders. It will be the fourth straight season ETBU and UMHB would meet in the conference tournament.