Newport News, VA – Battling down to the wire against #19 Elizabethtown College, East Texas Baptist University was edged out by the Blue Jays, 58-55. Elizabethtown led the first two periods but ETBU then managed to surpass them in the third period 42-41 before the Blue Jays closed out the game in the fourth for the win. ETBU is now 1-2 on the year and will play their third straight nationally ranked team on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
The games were influenced by free throws with Elizabethtown making 52.5% (21-40) as ETGBU made 55.6 % (5-9). ETBU also had 17 turnovers that turned into 13 points. The Tigers led in points in the paint with 32, had seven steals, seven blocks and out rebounded EC, 49-41.
Peyton Hicks was the only ETBU player to score in the double digits with a career-high 26 points. Michaela James led the team in rebounds with eight and Tristian Smith had three assists. EC had two players in double figures as Summer McNulty posted 17 points.
The first period was controlled by the Blue Jays holding an 6-0 lead until the first Tiger's points were scored at 6:11 off a rebound by Hicks. That was followed by a free throw from her to bring the score to 6-3. The Blue Jays raised the score to seven, 10-3, with a jumper that was followed by successful free throws. Kadia Ward, at 3:06, put two more up for the Tigers and ETBU was able to prevent any scoring until another layup from Ward with 11 seconds left to cut the lead to two, 12-10 at the end of the quarter.
Defense played into the second period as EC continued to stay ahead by four, 28-24. No one scored until 7:34 when a ETBU layup from Ashlynn Galvin brought tied the score at 12. Hicks gained the lead with a layup at 7:01, but it was short lived as EC evened the score 14-14. After another layup from the Blue Jays, the Tigers evened the score again 16-16 with another Hicks layup at 4:25. EC took a three-point lead, 19-16, after a free throw and layup in the span of a minute. Sara Cowen then shot a three pointer at 2:57 as Hicks also made a three pointer at 1:57 to tie it at 22. EC was able to score six points in the remaining time while Jayla Hall had a layup to cut the Blue Jays lead to four, 28-24, at the half. .
ETBU outscored EC, 18-13, in the third period to take the lead, 42-41. Michaela James made the first point of the period for the Tigers with a free throw at 8:29. Hall had a layup at 7:02 and Ward made a layup at 6:37 bringing the score to come within five, 34-29. Over a two-minute span from 4:49 to 2:57, ETBU went on scoring spree. Hannah Matthews made layups at 4:49 and 3:46 as Hicks made layups at 4:21 and 2:57 with a free throw in between as ETBU took a one-point lead, 38-37. Just 30 seconds later, EC had a bucket to retake the lead, 39-37, but a good free throw from James at 1:48 tied the game 39-39. Hicks netted a three pointer at the end of the period as time expired for a 42-41 lead.
Hall started off the fourth period making a free throw to extend the Tigers lead to two, 43-41. EC scored six points in the next four minutes to go up by four, 47-43. Hall then made a layup off a rebound to close the gap to two, 47-45. EC went on to score another five in a row bringing the score to 52-45. Hall had another layup at 1:55 and Hicks made a layup at 1:23 to cut the lead to three, 52-49. Hicks made two three pointers in the last thirty of the game, but EC scored six points in free throws in that time for the three-point win, 58-55.
ETBU will continue their play in Newport News, Va., tomorrow as they face #3 Christopher Newport at 1:00 p.m. central time.
