MARSHALL, Texas – A late run in the second half for the University of St. Thomas (Texas) was just enough to slide by #20 East Texas Baptist University, 68-58, as the Celts handed the Tigers a home opening loss in Ornelas Gym. ETBU had a six-point lead with six minutes to go but an 11-0 run over four minutes gave UST a 10-point lead that the Tigers could not overcome as they fell to 0-3 on the year.
 
Darry Moore led the team with 21 points and eight rebounds shooting 50 percent from the floor. Joshua R Davis added 10 points also shooting 50 percent. Kurt Labeaud recorded five rebounds and four assists. UST's Calvin Williams, Jr. led all scorers with 24 points.
 
ETBU shot 41 percent overall but only 34 percent in the second half making just one three-pointer at 12 percent. Overall, they were 4-of-20 from the arc (20 percent) and 66 percent (8-of-12) from the line. UST finished shooting 38 percent from the floor, 25 percent from the three-point line (8-of-31), and was 16-of-17 from the stripe (94 percent). UST also out rebounded ETBU, 41-31, and forced 13 turnovers scoring 15 points.
 
Jumping out to a 9-5 lead, ETBU's Jaden Conner hit a shot at 11:46 for the four-point lead. UST responded with a 8-0 run to take a four-point lead, 13-9. From there, the game was tied four times. Tied at 25, ETBU had a 7-0 run as Moore scored five of the points to make it 32-25 with 4:14 left. UST cut the lead to five, twice, 34-29, and then hit two free throws with 36 seconds left in the half to trail ETBU, 34-31, at the half.
 
Just five minutes into the second half, Jayden Williams connected on a jumper for a seven-point lead, 40-33. That was as large of a lead ETBU would hold as UST went on a 17-8 run to take a two-point lead, 50-48, at 10:06. The two teams battled back and forth trading buckets as ETUB took a 55-54 lead with 5:59 left on a Labeaud shot. That was the last shot made from the floor by ETBU as they went 3-of-5 from the line and missed their next four shots. ETBU didn't score for over four minutes as UST took a 10-point lead, 65-55, with 2:03 left in the game. ETBU came no closer than eight, 65-57, on two Conner free throws made as UST took the win over the Tigers, 68-58.
 
ETBU will play next on Thursday, October 30, in Ornelas Gym when they host McMurry University in American Southwest Conference play.