BELTON, Texas - Headed back to the American Southwest Conference Championship game for the first time since 2020, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team held off the University of Texas Dallas, 74-71. ETBU is now 22-5 overall and will play in their fourth ASC Tournament Championship game in eight years.
Leading the Tigers was Darry Moore with 22 points recording eight rebounds and one steal. Aaron Gregg added another double-double to lead the team with 11 rebounds and 11 points, as well as recording eight assists. Kevin Charles finished with 17 points and six rebounds and Jayden Williams led the team with two steals. ETBU shot 45% from the floor and 37% beyond the arc while UTD shot 42% overall and 37% from the three.
UTD began the game with a jumper in the paint, 2-0. Charles was quick to react with a jump shot of his own, tying the game at two at 19:11 left. Shots by Moore and Ryan Elzy sent ETBU into a four point lead with 18:17 left, 6-2. UTD had a three bringing the game to one point, 6-5. Elzy followed with a shot in the paint bringing the lead to three, 8-5, at 17:42. UTD followed with a jump shot, to pull within one, 8-7. Elzy followed with a three-point jumper to give ETBU the lead an 11-7 lead at 16:18. Charles also had a three to push the lead to five with 15:48 left, 14-9. After a shot from the Comets, Jaden Connor had a three-point jumper with 14:29 left to stay in front by five, 17-12. UTD had a shot from beyond the arc and a jumper in the paint, closing the gap to one point, 17-16. A three by Gregg put ETBU back up by four, 20-16, with 13:23 left. Charles had a jump shot in the paint making the lead seven, 23-16. The Comets had a dunk lowering the Tiger lead to 24-18 with 10:09 left. Williams followed with a shot from beyond the arc to put ETBU up by nine, 27-18. UTD had a run to come within one with 7:58 left, 29-28. Moore reacted with a jumper in the paint, 31-28. UTD tied the game at 31 with a shot in the paint at 6:21. Moore took back the lead with a layup, 33-31, before UTD tied it at 33 at 4:43. Elzy and Michael Roberts gave ETBU a four-point lead again, 37-33, at 3:45. The quarter ended with a five-point lead, 43-38, for ETBU after a Charles shot.
UTD came into the second half with a fast break three-pointer, lowering the ETBU lead to two, 43-41. Gregg followed with a three of his own for a five-point advantage, 46-41. With 17:57 left, Charles recorded a dunk making it a seven-point game, 48-41. The Comets had a jumper, but Gregg reacted quickly with a jump shot outside the paint to stay up by six, 50-44. Bringing the score to 53-46, Charles had a jumper in the paint with 14:24 left. Three minutes went by with no changes on the board as UTD drew a foul and made two shots on the line, 53-48. Moore followed with a shot outside the paint with 10:37 left for a seven-point lead, 55-48. Conner brought the ETBU lead to nine with a shot in the paint, 59-50. The Comets returned with a three with 8:20 left, 59-53, to come within six, again. Gregg recorded a three, which was followed with a three by UTD, bringing the score to, 64-59, at 7:03. With under five minutes left in the game, Elzy had a shot in the paint, 67-59, to keep the lead at eight. The Comets followed with a jumper and drew a foul, closing the gap to five, 67-62. After shots on the line by both teams, UTD had a shot inside the arc with 1:34 left, lto come within two, 68-66.. After a Comet's free-throw to put ETBU's lead down to one, 68-67, Moore had a jumper in the paint 70-67 with under a minute left. Moore followed with two shots on the line, 72-67, with 26 seconds left. UTD had a shot inside the arc, but Moore drew another foul, bringing the lead to five with six seconds left, 74-69. UTD made a shot as time expired as ETBU won, 74-71, advancing to the ASC Tournament Championship game.
ETBU will face Hardin-Simmons University on Saturday, February 25th at 6:00 p.m. in Belton.
