MARSHALL, Texas – Playing an all-around solid game, East Texas Baptist University held one of the top offenses in the American Southwest Conference to seven points as they held off Sul Ross State University, 17-14. ETBU finishes their ASC schedule at 4-4 on the year and are now 4-5 overall.
 
ETBU shutout SRSU for three quarters and was up 17-0 when SRSU scored 14 points in the fourth quarter. Only seven came on an offensive drive as the Lobos recorded a pick-6 86-yard touchdown run to pull within three, 17-14, with 6:38 to play. ETBU's offense then drove out the clock with just over six minutes left all the way down to the SRSU 15-yard line to end the game and take their fourth win of the year.
 
Finishing with 330 yards of offense, ETBU rushed for 230 yards as Melek Hamilton produced the first 100-yard rushing game of the year. He produced 30 rushes for 133 yards and Cornelius Banks finished with 62 yards and one rushing touchdown. Kaleb O'Bryant was the top receiver with 35 yards on three catches and Terrance Terrell had one receiving touchdown.
 
The defense held SRSU to just 230 yards of offense as 143 were on the ground and only 87 passing. They forced four interceptions as Trint Scott, Robert Williams, Reiss Vickers and Kenneth Bradley all had a pick. Two sacks were provided in the game as Coby Walker had one and Cameron Kaufert and Jahkamian Carr split the other.
 
Christian Piazza kicked a 25-yard field goal with 2:13 to in the first quarter for the 3-0 lead. Terrell then caught his first collegiate touchdown at the 14:32 mark in the second quarter for ETBU to go up, 10-0. With 6:48 left in the third quarter, Banks rushed to his left on a 10-yard run putting ETBU up, 17-0. It was not until the 11:38 mark in the fourth quarter that SRSU scored from five-yards out to cut the lead to 10, 17-7. The pick-6 with just under seven minutes to play made it a game as the Lobos were within three, 17-14, but ETBU's offense kept their poise and ran out the clock.
 
ETBU will host North American University next Saturday in their final game of the 2022 season.