MARSHALL, Texas – A late three-point basket by Hardin-Simmons University with three seconds left gave the Cowboys their only lead of the game as they took away the win for East Texas Baptist University, 71-69, in American Southwest Conference men's basketball play. game ETBU is now 1-4 on the year and 1-1 in the ASC.
 
ETBU was up by as many as 18 points in the game and had a 12-point lead, 63-51, with three minutes to go in the game before HSU outscored the Tigers, 20-6, in the final two and half minutes. HSU's only lead of the game came with three seconds left when they hit the go-ahead three-pointer.
 
Darry Moore and Jayden Williams combined had over half of ETBU's points. Moore shot .500 from the floor for 18 points while Williams collected 16 points hitting four three-pointers and going 4-of-4 from the line. Jaden Conner added nine points and Michael Roberts grabbed six rebounds. HSU's Will Bartoszek led all scorers with 34 points.
 
ETBU shot 46 percent and made 75 percent of their free throws (15-of-20) canning eight three-pointers for 47 percent. HSU finished shooting 42 percent, made just three three-pointers (33 percent) and was 20-of-27 from the line (74 percent). Both teams had 32 rebounds but ETBU had 20 turnovers to HSU's 16 as the Cowboys scored 24 points off of them.
 
Ryan Elzy and Moore put ETBU up, 4-0, in the first minute and a half of the game. At the 15:36 mark, Conner hit a three-pointer for a nine-point lead, 13-4. HSU brought the lead down to four, 13-9, but a 10-4 run gave ETBU a 10-point lead, 23-13 on a Williams three-pointer at the 10:43 mark. Two minutes later, ETBU maintained an nine-point lead, 26-17, but in the next five minutes the Tigers took an 18-point lead, 39-21, on a 13-4 run. Christian Dews finished off the run with a fast-break dunk on an assist from Kurt Lebeaud. Josh R Davis, Williams, and Conner all hit three-pointers in that time. HSU ended the half outscoring ETBU, 7-0, in the final three minutes to trim the lead to 11, 39-28, at the half.
 
In the first four minutes of the second half, ETBU pushed their lead to 15 points, 45-30, as Dews hit one of two free throws. Moore gave ETBU their biggest second half lead of 17, twice, in less than minute, 49-32, and 51-34, on a layup and jumper with just over 13 minutes left in the game. HSU came within 12, 51-39, but Roberts had a jumper at the 9:19 mark for a 16-point lead, 55-39. With 6:20 to go, Davis canned a three-pointer to make it a 14-point lead, 60-46. Then, at the 5:31 mark, Moore converted a three-point play for a 14-point lead, 63-49. HSU went on a 10-0 run in three minutes to pull within four, 63-49, with 1:58 remaining. Williams made two free throws at 1:39 but HSU answered with two of their own to come back within four, 65-61, with 1:31 left. HSU was fouled with 50 seconds left and made both free throws as ETBU only led by two, now, 65-63. In 20 seconds, Conner hit two free throws and Moore slammed a fast break dunk as ETBU went up by six, 69-63 with 29 seconds to go.
 
That was the last time ETBU would score as HSU hit a layup with 17 seconds left to pull within four, 69-65. ETBU turned the ball over with 13 seconds left and HSU swooshed a three-pointer to cut the lead to one, 69-68, with 12 seconds on the clock. A HSU foul sent ETBU to the line for a one-and-one with 10 seconds left but it was missed as the Cowboys hurried up down the court to hit the go-ahead three-pointer with four seconds on the clock, 71-69. ETBU's last chance half-court shot just missed as HSU pulled off the comeback.
 
ETBU will travel to Concordia University Texas on Thursday in Austin for a 7:30 p.m. game.