RICHARDSON, Texas – Knocking off the top team in the American Southwest Conference to end regular season, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team defeated the University of Texas Dallas, 74-72. ETBU ends the regular season at 20-5 overall and 14-4 in the ASC and will be the no. 3 seed in the upcoming post-season tournament. It is also the third 20-win season by ETBU in the last six season seasons.
ETBU had three players in the double-digits,
Darry Moore,
Kevin Charles,
Aaron Gregg. Moore led the team with 25 points and five rebounds. Charles followed with 20 points, leading with five rebounds alongside Moore. Gregg led the team with 10 assists making it a double-double with 13 points, as well as leading the team with five steals. ETBU shot 51% from the floor, 30% beyond the arc, and 86% on the line.
ETBU began the game with a second chance layup by Moore with 18:56, 2-0. UTD took the lead with a three-point jumper, 3-2. The ball stayed on either side of the court, with ETBU taking the lead at 16:51 with a layup by Gregg, and again with a layup by Charles, 6-5. UTD tied the game at six with a free-throw, before taking the lead with a basket in the paint, 8-6.
Ryan Elzy tied the game at eight with a layup. Gregg gave ETBU the lead with shots on the line with 11:53 left, 14-13. The Comets took back the lead with a three, but
Jayden Williams reacted quickly with a three of his own giving ETBU the lead 17-16. Jaden Connor had a three, bringing the Tiger lead to four with 9:42 left, 20-16. UTD closed the gap with a shot outside the arc, 20-19. The Comets took a four-point lead with a three with 7:55 left, 25-21. Gregg lowered the Comet lead with a steal and layup, 25-23. A steal by Charles was passed to
Kurt Labeaud, bringing the score to 27-25, favoring UTD, 4:26. With 3:23 left, Moore brought the Comet lead to just one point with a layup, 30-29. The Comets regained the lead, 37-31, with a layup, 1:51. Charles had two shots on the line, lowering the UTD lead to five, 37-32, as the quarter ended with a UTD layup, 39-33.
ETBU came into the second half strong, with a jumper in the paint by Moore at 19:42, 39-35. A shot by Charles and two shots on the line by Moore tied the game at 39, 18:36. A layup by Charles gave ETBU the lead, 41-39. Gregg continued this lead with a second chance layup and one with 15:41 left, 44-39. UTD took the lead with 14:11 left, 45-44. Shots by Charles and Moore gave ETBU the lead with 12:19 left, 48-47. UTD had a three to give them the lead, but a jump shot from Moore tied the game at 50, 11:23. Connor brought a jumper in the paint, giving the Tigers a four-point lead with 10:00 left, 54-50. Both teams took shots on the line before Charles had a layup with 8:49 left. The Comets had a three with 7:49 left, lowering the Tiger lead to one, 58-57. Moore brought a layup with 7:10 left, 60-57. UTD took two shots on the line, but Elzy drew a foul keeping the lead 62-59. UTD took the lead with a three-point jumper, setting the score 64-62, 4:34. A shot by Charles tied the game at 64. After a UTD three, Moore drew a foul, putting the Tigers just one point behind, 67-66. With 2:22 left, Moore had a layup and one, tying the game at 69. Conner gave ETBU the lead, 71-69, with a layup. The Comets drew a foul, tying the game at 71 with 1:14 left. Gregg had a three, bringing the score 74-71 with 54 seconds left. UTD hit a free throw with 38 seconds left missing the second to pull within two, 74-72, and grabbed a rebound after an ETBU shot with eight seconds left. A last second three-pointer by UTD was missed as ETBU took the two-point upset win.
ETBU will play again on Tuesday, February 21st, against LeTourneau University in Ornelas Gym in the first round of the ASC Tournament.
