MARSHALL, Texas – Posting a four-game winning streak and tied for first place in the American Southwest Conference, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team will be taking on Texas Dallas and the University of the Ozarks at home this week. The team is returning back to Ornleas after three games on the road over Christmas Break. They defeated Belhaven University on December 31 and then went out West taking wins over Howard Payne University and Sul Ross State University. 
 
Going 5-1 over the break, the Tigers are now 12-2 overall and 6-1 in the American Southwest Conference receiving votes in the national poll. ETBU's only loss came to LeTourneau, 70-65, in Longview. Most recently, ETBU rang in the new year competing in conference play, defeating HPU, 115-99. They shot 65% overall, 53% beyond the arc, and 77% on the line. The Tigers then went on to beat Sul Ross State in Alpine for the first time in six years, 95-85, in overtime. Against the Lobos, ETBU shot 48% overall, 25% for 3-pointers, and 72% on the line. 
 
Leading the team over the break was Darry Moore, Aaron Gregg, and Kevin Charles. Moore recorded a career and team high of 30 points in the game against Howard Payne. In that game Moore went 10-for-12 overall, shooting 83% and shot 100% on the line earning going 10-of-10. Against SRSU, Moore finished with a double-double of 11 rebounds and 23 points, shooting 69% overall making 11-of-16 from the floor. He leads the team in points with 280 averaging 20 per game as well as field goals made and attempted, 113-175, recording 92 rebounds. 
 
Gregg is currently leading the team in three-pointers going 27-for-58 (46%). He also leads in assists with 76 averaging 5.8 per game. He shot 73% overall against Howard Payne, recording 25 points and had five assists. Against Sul Ross State, he had 18 points and 6 assists. Gregg currently averages 19.5 points per game, with a season high of 29 points vs. the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. 
 
Leading the team in blocks is Kevin Charles with 18 blocks averaging 1.5 per game. Charles has recorded 173 points averaging 14.4 per game, as well as recording 90 rebounds averaging 7.5 per game. Charles set a personal high with a double-double of 16 rebounds and 28 points against Sul Ross State. In that game, he shot 58% overall and 80% on the line. 
 
A worthy mention this season is Ryan Elzy as he leads the team with 24 steals averaging 1.7 per game. Elzy holds a personal season high of six steals in a game against Hendrix College. He also set a personal high of 19 points against Howard Payne shooting 62% overall. 
 
ETBU will begin play Thursday, January 12th at 7:30 pm, against Texas Dallas. The Comets hold an 11-3 overall record and are 6-1 in the ASC sitting in first with ETBU. UTD defeated Concordia Texas, 107-74, to start the new year but lost to UMHB, 99-93. The teams last played each other in the 2022 ASC Tournament where the Comets came out victorious, 71-68. The Tigers previously won a month prior, 69-60. UTD is led by Kyle Poershcke with 243 season points averaging 17.4 per game. Poershcke also leads in field goals, 95-194, three-pointers (25), and rebounds (81).
 
The Tigers will be taking on the Ozarks on Saturday, January 15th at 3:00 pm. The Eagles hold a 7-7 overall record and are 2-5 in the ASC sitting 8th in the ASC. They two teams last met in February 2022, with the Tigers winning 82-55. Ozarks last won February of 2021, 62-58. The Eagles are Grayson Nix who averages 15.9 points per game recording 223 points on the season. He has 58 rebounds averaging 4.1 per game. 
 
ETBU will be home for their next four games over two weeks in Ornelas Gym.