CLAREMONT, Calif.  – Coming down to the final five minutes of the game, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps held off East Texas Baptist University, 64-60, as the Tigers were within two with just under a minute to go. ETBU is now 1-5 on the year.
 
Four players scored in double figures as Payton Hicks had 14 points and eight rebounds. Kadia Ward recorded a double-double with 11 points 12 rebounds. Ashlynn finished with 11 points going 7-of-7 from the foul line and Jayla Hall scored 10 points. Both Ava Grey and Katie Resendiz had 15 points for CMS.
 
ETBU shot just 25 percent from the floor, 14 percent from the arc, and 80 percent from the line. CMS made 35 percent of their shots, hit 10 three-pointers (43 percent) and made 53 percent of their free throws. ETBU out rebounded CMS, 52-37, and forced 13 turnovers.
 
It was a slow first quarter for ETBU as they trailed, 19-8. CMS jumped out to a 12-0 lead as ETBU didn't hit their first shot from the floor until the 6:06 mark on a Matthews layup. The second quarter brought better shooting (26 percent) as they outscored CMS, 19-12, cutting the lead to one, twice. They started the quarter on a 7-0 run to come within four, 19-15, on a Hicks lay up. Two free throws by Ward at the 4:28 mark brought CMS's lead to two, 21-19. Two more free throws with 3:29 left by Galvin cut the lead to one, 22-21, but CMS built the lead back to five, 26-21 (2:16). Just 45 seconds later, Galvin hit two more free throws to come within one, again, 26-25, at the 1:32 mark. CMS made two free throws but Ward banked in a lay up with 56 seconds left as ETBU was within one, 28-27. CMS hit a three-pointer with two seconds left for a four-point lead at the half, 31-27.
 
CMS extended their lead to nine, 38-29, just over three minutes into the third quarter. With 1:34 left in the quarter, they moved their lead to 10, 45-35. Tiffany Bickford hit two free throws with 14 seconds left in the quarter to bring the lead down to seven, 47-40, headed into the fourth quarter.
 
ETBU scored the first four points in the fourth quarter on four straight free throws with two from Ward and Galvin to move within three points, 47-44. By the 4:45 mark, ETBU tied the game on a Bickford three-pointer. Just 25 seconds later, a team technical foul was assessed for flopping and CMS made both free throws and then hit a three-pointer in 13 seconds to move ahead by five, 54-49. At the 3:22 mark, CMS hit another three-pointer to push their lead to eight, 57-49, and still had a seven point lead, 62-55, with 1:19 left in the game. In less than seven seconds, ETBU scored five points on a Ward three-pointer and then a Hicks fast break lay up off a Ward steal to come within two, 62-60 (00:54). ETBU missed a three-pointer with 23 seconds left in the game to take the lead off of a Galvin block but CMS grabbed the rebound and was fouled. They made one free throw with 15 seconds left making it 63-60, but then ETBU missed another three-pointer with nine seconds left before fouling to stop the clock. CMS made one of two free throws making it 64-60 as ETBU missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
 
ETBU will host McMurry University on Thursday opening up ASC play.