MARSHALL, Texas – Playing their best, all-around game of the year, East Texas Baptist University overwhelmed LeTourneau University, 78-53, in American Southwest Conference play. ETBU is now 3-8 overall and 2-3 in the ASC.
 
Three players were in double figures in Payton Hicks, Michaela James, and Hannah Matthews. Hicks led the team with 18 points shooting 60 percent from the floor. James added a career-high 16 points and nine rebounds going 5-of-8 from the floor. Matthews came off the bench for 10 points and five rebounds missing just one shot from the floor (5-of-6). Kadia Ward gave nine points, six rebounds, and five assists.
 
ETBU shot 62 percent in the first quarter to take a 23-13 lead and never looked back. Hitting eight three-pointers, ETBU shot 42 percent from the arc, 47 percent from the floor and 63 percent from the line. LETU was held to just 27 percent shooting on the floor and from three-point range and made 78 percent from the free throw line. ETBU out rebounded LETU, 45-31, and forced 20 turnovers for 19 points. ETBU dominated the paint scoring 34 points.
 
ETBU jumped out to a 6-2 lead as Ward gave the Tigers the four-point advantage. LETU pulled to within two, 9-7, at the 5:24 mark, but in the next three and half minutes ETBU went on a 12-1 run for a 13-point lead, 21-8. James had five of the 12 points with a three-pointer in that run. Lexi Purcell put ETBU up by 13, 23-10, with 32 seconds left. LETU hit a shot with 13 seconds to go to come within 10, 23-13.
 
Scoring 16 points in the second quarter, ETBU held LETU to just eight points for a 39-21 lead at the half. Matthews gave ETBU the 20-point lead, 39-19, on a layup with 1:34 left in the half. LETU started the quarter bringing the lead down to nine, 26-17, at the 8:45 mark. Over the next four minutes, ETBU went on an 11-2 run for an 18-point lead, 37-19 on a Hicks free throw (4:01). Neither team could find the net over the next three minutes until Matthews layup.
 
LETU once again cut the lead down coming within 14, 43-29, at the 7:13 mark in the third quarter. ETBU kept LETU away from coming any closer the rest of quarter. Hicks made two free throws in a five second time span for a 20-point lead, 55-35, with 3:35 left. LETU brought it down to a 15-point lead, 55-40, with 32 seconds left but James canned a three-pointer with six seconds left for an 18-point lead, 58-40, to end the third quarter. Both teams scored 19 points in the quarter shooting 66 percent from the floor.
 
Outscoring LETU, 20-13, in the fourth quarter, ETBU came away with the 25-point win. Neither team could make a shot in the first two minutes until LETU cut the lead to 16, 58-42, with 7:41 left. James made two free throws with 3:54 left to put ETBU back up by 21, 68-47. A minute went by with no scoring until Erin Berry made a free-throw for a 22-point lead, 69-47. She then swooshed a three-pointer with 1:16 left for the 23-point lead, 72-49. Carson Greenwood gave the Tigers their largest lead with two free throws with 33 seconds left, 76-51, and then Berry made a jumper as time expired for the 25-point win, 78-53.
 
ETBU will host Birmingham Southern University on Monday at 1:00 p.m. in a regional game in Ornelas Gym.