Box Score BELTON, Texas - Beginning play in the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Tournament with a win, the East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team defeated Piedmont University, 76-62. This sets the Tiger's record 9-2 overall.
Leading the team was Jade Goynes with 15 points and six rebounds. Following Goynes was Brooke Webster with 13 points and three assists, going 3-for-7 beyond the arc. Mollie Dittmar and Bridget Upton lead the team with 10 rebounds. Jamara Levy recorded five steals, two assists and eight points and Kaia Williams finished with three assists, two steals, and three rebounds.
ETBU shot 38%, going 10-for-22 in the third quarter. The Tigers only allowed 17 shots holidng Piedmont to 29% overall and 20% beyond the arc.
First Half
The Tigers entered the first quarter with great defense off the bat, allowing only eight points. ETBU was the first to put points on the board with a rebound and layup by Dittmar, 2-0. Piedmont quickly tied the score at two, before Upton brought the score 4-2, with a jumper on the line. Shots by Dittmar and Goynes gave the Tigers a six-point lead at 6:43, 8-2. The Lady Lions followed with a layup to to make it, 8-4. Goynes put ETBU in double digits with a shot outside the arc, 12-4. Another three by Webster from Williams made it an 11-point lead, 17-6. With under a minute left in the first, Piedmont had two shots on the line, ending the quarter, 17-8.
Piedmont started the second scoring within the first minute as ETBU still held a seven-point lead, 17-10. Reacting quickly, Kenidi White made a three-pointer to go back up by 10 points, 20-10. Shots by Levy, Dittmar, and Goynes pushed the lead to 17 points, 28-11. Piedmont made two free throws, 28-13, which Jayla Hall followed with a jumper in the arc to keep the 17-point lead, 30-13. Both teams held great defense, going a minute and a half with no changes on the board. With just over a minute left, Piedmont pulled two within 14, 30-16, with a 3-pointer. In the last 10 seconds, Goynes was fouled making both free throws to end the first half up, 32-16.
Second Half
Defense from the first half carried over from the locker rooms with the game going nearly two minutes with no shots made. ETBU was the first to score in the third quarter on a jumper by Webster, 34-16. Keeping the ball in both arcs, the teams brought the score to 36-20 in less than a minute, with two jumpers by the Lady Lions and a layup by Upton. At 7:11, Piedmont had two free throws, 36-22, but a shot in the paint by Hannah Matthews regained the Tiger's 16-point lead, 38-22. The Lady Lions made a short run beginning with a jump shot and three free throws co come within 11 points, 40-29. Webster followed with a jump shot to make it a 13-point lead, 42-29. The Tigers had a six-point run with shots by Goynes, Dittmar, and Williams putting the lead back to 17, 48-31. Piedmont returned with a jumper and free throw, 48-34. A jumper by white and layup by Levy gave the Tigers an 18-point lead, 52-34. With just 19 seconds left in the quarter, Levy brought a shot from inside the arc to keep it at 18-points, 54-36. The Lady Lions ended the quarter with a jumper in the last two seconds, 54-38.
Entering the last quarter, the Tigers put up their largest lead of the game, 19 points with a three-pointer by Webster, 57-38. Piedmont responded with a second chance jump shot and free throw to bring the lead down to 15 points, 57-42. After free throws from both teams, the Lady Lions had a three-point jump shot bringing the score to within 13 points, 62-49. Now entering the last 5 minutes of the game, Michaela James gave a shot in the paint to keep it at 17 points, 66-49. Piedmont followed with a driving layup, 66-51. After a free throw by Upton, the Lady Lions made a jump shot in the paint, 67-53. Webster brought the score back to 17 points, 70-53, with a shot outside the arc. Piedmont had a turnover leading to a three-point shot, followed by three free throws, 70-59. Free throws by Goynes and Levy put the lead back at 14 points, 73-59, before a Lady Lion jump shot lowered the lead 12, 73-61. Williams ended the game with free throws for the Tiger's ninth win of the season.
ETBU will continue play in the UMHB tournament after the new year on Monday, January 2nd, at 2:00 pm against UC Santa Cruz.
