MARSHALL, Texas – Scoring 56 points in the second half and coming from behind, East Texas Baptist University won their 15^th game of the year with a 98-90 victory over McMurry University. ETBU is now 15-3 overall and 9-2 in the American Southwest Conference.
 
"We are glad we got the win as it's a long conference season," said head coach Chris Lovell. "I was proud of our guys focusing sitting down on defense and rebounding the ball in the second half. It's a challenge every night in this conference and we will enjoy it now and then it's back to work on Monday."
 
Six players scored in double figures as both Darry Moore and Aaron Gregg had 20-plus points. Moore led the way with 22 points while Gregg added 21 points with five assists and six rebounds. Ryan Elzy then had 14 points and three blocks as Kevin Charles gained a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds with three blocks. Kurt Labeaud posted 12 points and eight assists as Jayden Williams finished at 11 points and three steals. Remy Minor had 20 points for McMurry.
 
From the floor, McMurry shot 51 percent and 44 percent from the arc making 77 percent (14-of-18) from the line. ETBU followed going 47 percent from the floor but made nine three-pointers for 56 percent and was 25-of-37 (67 percent) from the free throw line. ETBU forced 21 turnovers with 10 steals as both teams had 39 rebounds.
 
McMurry led the entire first half from the opening bucket. By the 14:34 mark, they had a 10-point lead, 17-7, and kept it at 10 points with 10:43 left, 24-14. ETBU went on a 9-2 run in three minutes to pull within three points, 26-23, but McM made the lead 12 points, 39-27, with 4:03 left. ETBU held McM to just four points in the final four minutes as they scored 15 points ending on a Williams three-pointer with five seconds left as they trailed, 43-42, at the half.
 
Gregg nailed a three-pointer to start the second half for the first ETBU lead of the game, 45-43. McM answered right back for the one-point lead, 46-45, at 19:03. ETBU then went on a 9-0 run for an eight-point lead, 54-46 (15:31), as Charles finished with a layup. At the 14:01 mark, McM tied the game at 56 on a 10-0 in just a minute and half. In the next eight minutes, ETBU kept the lead close but made a run for an 11-point lead, 80-69, out scoring McM, 24-13. At 2:27, Moore made a free throw for a 13-point lead, 91-78, but McM was within seven, 93-86, with 37 seconds left in the game. ETBU went 5-of-6 in the final two minutes from the line for the 98-80 win.
 
Next week, ETBU will travel to Central Texas to face Concordia Texas and Mary Hardin-Baylor.