MARSHALL, Texas – It wasn't a pretty win in Ornelas Gym but the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team finished strong in the final two minutes of the game getting the stops needed to top Concordia University Texas, 75-70. ETBU is now 6-1 on the year and 3-0 in the American Southwest Conference.
 
"I'm not sure anything went really right tonight," said head coach Chris Lovell. "We came out a little flat again tonight against a really tough opponent and they played really, really well and we gave them some confidence as we had a hard time rebounding tonight. Once we figured it out down the stretch I was really proud of the guys finding a way to win. There are going to be games when things don't go right and the most important thing is that our guys are resilient and when it counted we were able to get the stops that we needed to get out of here with a victory."
 
Four players scored in double figures as Aaron Gregg led with 23 points, seven assists, and four rebounds. It is his third 20+ point game of the year and seventh in his career. Kevin Charles added 14 points and nine rebounds while Darry Moore added 13 points and Ryan Elzy 12 points. Jaylon Johnson led CTX with 19 points and Deon Williams had 15 rebounds.
 
Both teams were even as ETBU shot 46 percent from the floor and CTX was at 43 percent. ETBU made 41 percent of their three-pointers but CTX swooshed in 62 percent of their three-pointers. It came down to the free throw line as ETBU went 16-of-24 (66 percent) and CTX made 5-of-14 (35 percent). CTX did out rebound ETBU, 45-38, but ETBU forced 19 turnovers and had five blocks.
 
CTX took the opening lead on a jumper just 30 seconds into the game. From there they kept a short lead, 13-10, at the 14:15 mark only to see ETBU go on a 9-2 run for a four-point lead, 19-15, on a Gregg layup with 9:03 left. The two teams swapped the lead over the next five minutes until CTX had a five-point lead, 26-21, with 2:59 to go. ETBU ended the half on a 6-2 run with a Moore dunk at the 1:19 mark to go into the locker room trailing by one, 28-27.
 
Once again, CTX hit a three-pointer to start the half for a four-point lead, 31-27. ETBU reacted with a 7-0 run for a three-point lead, 34-31 with four points from Moore and a three by Charles. From that point on to the 9:23 mark, there were six ties in the game. Tied at 55, Jayden Williams canned a three-pointer to retake the lead, 58-55, with 8:39 left in the game. There were two more ties with the final one coming at 68 all with 2:59 to go on two Gregg free throws. Charles gave ETBU the lead again with a fast break layup (2:48), 70-68, as the defense made stops in the next two minutes. CTX missed five shots in that time with the final miss shot being grabbed by Charles that set up two free throws for Gregg with 48 seconds left. He made both to make it 72-68 and then Jaden Conner cashed in on one free throw with 12 seconds left for a five-point lead, 73-68. A layup by CTX put them within three with six seconds left, 73-70, but Gregg was fouled and iced the game hitting both free throws for the five-point win, 75-70.
 
ETBU will host #24 Mary Hardin-Baylor on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.