MARSHALL, Texas – Hanging on for a season opening victory, East Texas Baptist University won the Tip Off Classic opening game, 53-49, over Rhodes College to move to 1-0. ETBU had a strong first quarter lead, 18-9, but Rhodes came back over the next two quarters before the Tigers held them off in the fourth.
Payton Hicks led the team with 13 points as
Michaela James and
Jayla Hall both had eight points.
Tristan Smith recorded six rebounds and
Kadia Ward produced five steals. ETBU made 35.7 percent of their shots but only one three-pointer for 8.3 percent (1-of-12). Rhodes finished shooting 28 percent from the floor and 17.6 percent from the arc. ETBU also only made 60 percent of their free throws compared to Rhodes' 87.5 percent. Rhodes out rebounded ETBU, 45-33, but ETBU forced 21 turnovers for 22 points with nine fast break points.
Starting out strong, ETBU took an 18-9 lead in the first quarter. In the first three minutes, ETBU went up, 9-0, as Hicks started the game with the only three-pointer made.
Hannah Matthews had back-to-back lay ups and then a Smith layup put the lead at nine. With 4:14 left, Rhodes cut the lead to two on a 7-0 run over three minutes. In the final four minutes, ETBU went on a 9-2 run for the nine-point lead, 18-7, as
Hannah Ayala hit a jumper with 15-seconds left for that big lead.
It was a different story in the second half as Rhodes regrouped and held ETBU to just 18 percent shooting (3-of-16) while making 36 percent of their own. The first three and half minutes, Rhodes went on a 13-0 run to take the lead, 20-18. James tied the game at 20 on two free throws and then
Jada Clark had a jumper at 4:53 for a 23-20 lead. At the 2:41 mark, Rhodes tied the game at 23 but a Hicks and Hall jumper over the next 40 seconds put the lead at four, 27-23. Rhodes hit a three-pointer with 1:04 left in the quarter as ETBU took a one-point lead into the locker room, 27-26.
Outscoring Rhodes, 13-10, in the third quarter, ETBU kept their slim lead. ETBU scored the first four points for a 31-26 lead on points from Smith and Hall. At the 3:52 mark, Rhodes came within one, 35-34, and was within one with 1:43 left, 37-36. Ward stole the ball with 52 seconds left for a fast break layup and a 39-36 lead. Hall then connected on one free throw for a four-point lead at the end of the third, 40-36.
Both teams scored 13 points in the fourth quarter as ETBU maintained the lead for the win. Hicks put ETBU up by six, 42-36, just 20 seconds into the final quarter. By the six-minute mark, Rhodes hit a layup to be within three, 45-42. A Clark layup followed by a Matthews shot gave ETBU a seven-point lead, 49-42, with 5:07 left. With 2:55 left, Rhodes made one free throw coming within two, 49-47. It was still a two-point game, 51-49, with 1:01 left in the game as Rhodes blocked an ETBU shot with 38 seconds left but then turned the ball over 18 seconds later when
Ashlynn Galvin stole it. With 14 seconds left, Rhodes fouled Hicks as she made both free throws for a 53-49 lead. A last second three-point attempt by Rhodes was missed as ETBU won their season opener.
The Tigers will face #12 Trinity (Texas) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
