ABILENE, Texas - Tied after regulation, East Texas Baptist University's defense won the overtime not allowing the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor to score in the final minute as the Tigers advanced to the American Southwest Conference Championship game, 68-65. ETBU was down nine with just over three minutes to play in the game before hitting three three-pointers and tying the game at 55 before Dittmar banked in the tying layup as time expired to send the game to overtime. ETBU is now 20-6 overall and now has won 20+ games for six straight seasons.ETBU will play in their third ASC Championship game in six years.
Mollie Dittmar led the Tigers with a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds. Jade Goynes led the team with 16 points, recording five rebounds. Leading the team with five assists was Kaia Williams as Brooke Webster with three steals.
The Tigers came in strong with a layup by Webster and two shots by Williams setting the score 6-0 in hte first quarter. With 6:31 left UMHB recorded a jumper in the paint. Upton followed with a layup, 8-2. The Cru tied the game at 10 1:57 and took the lead with just over a minute left, 12-10. Dittmar ended the quarter with a layup tying the game at 12. ETBU shot 42% from the floor, 31% beyond the arc, and 79% on the line. The Cru shot 32% overall and 38% from the three.
UMHB began the second quarter with a three-point jump shot, taking the lead 15-12. With 8:28 left, the Cru recorded another three, 18-12. With 7:14 left, ETBU lowered the UMHB lead to four, 18-14, with shots on the line by Jayla Hall. Upton recorded her own free-throws with 6:15 left to come within three, 19-16. UMHB had a run ending at 3:23, giving them a 13 point lead, 29-16. A three-point jumper by Michaela James brought the Cru lead down to 10 with 2:33 left, 29-19. The period ended after free-throws by Goynes and Jay Levy as the Tigers were down nine at the half, 31-22.
Dittmar was the first to put points on the board in the third quarter with a second chance layup with 9:13 left, 31-24. UMHB followed with a three, bringing their lead to 10. With 8:12 left, Upton had a fast break layup, 34-26. Kenidi White lowered the UMHB lead to seven with a three-point jumper, 36-29. With 5:42 left UMHB had a layup, 38-29. Hall swiftly followed with a layup of her own, lowering the UMHB lead to six, 38-31. White closed the gap 39-33 with a layup, 2:44. With just over a minute left, Goynes took shots on the line, setting the score 44-35. Upton ended the quarter with two free-throws as ETBU was still down nine, 46-37.
The fourth was the Tiger's highest scoring quarter with 20 points, shooting 60% from the floor and went three-for-four beyond the arc. Dittmar began the quarter with a layup, lowering the UMHB lead to seven, 46-39. After free-throws by both teams, Upton had a layup with 6:27 left, 49-43, favoring UMHB. With 4:31 left UMHB had a three-point jumper, bringing the score 53-45. Levy had a steal that was passed to Williams for a three, lowering the Cru lead to six with 2:36 left, 55-49. Levy and Goynes both had threes of their own, tying the game at 55 with 1:10 left. UMHB had a layup with three seconds left for a two-point lead but Dittmar tied the game at 57 with a second chance layup sending the game into overtime.
UMHB began overtime with a three-point jumper with 4:00 left, taking the lead, 60-57. ETBU brought the lead down to one point with free-throws by Webster, 60-59. The Tigers took the lead with a layup by Dittmar with 2:21 left, 61-60. UMHB took the lead 62-61 with a jumper, but Goynes reacted quickly, taking the lead with a layup with 1:36 left. The Cru had a three-point jumper, gaining back the lead 65-63. Goynes tied the game at 65 and drew a foul to take the lead 66-65 with 1:01 left. The game ended with two more free throws by Goynes, 68-65, for the win.
ETBU will play in the ASC championship game tomorrow Saturday, February 25th at 6:00 pm against the University of Texas Dallas.
