MARSHALL, Texas – Back in the American Southwest Conference Tournament Championship game for the fourth time in eight years, East Texas Baptist University is playing for their second-ever championship. It is the first time that head coach Chris Lovell will be going to the championship game in his third year leading the program. ETBU has played for a championship in 2015, 2018, and 2020 winning it in 2015.
"We didn't want to end this year like we did last year," said Lovell. "I am just really proud of my guys as we played Tuesday night, one day to practice, and then traveled to Belton and then turn around and play regionally ranked UT Dallas team. That's a big win and a big game for us. We are still achieving our goals and we are real excited about our opportunity to play in the championship on Saturday."
Three different head coaches have led ETBU to the ASC Championship game starting with Bert West in 2014-15 winning the program's only championship. That year, ETBU made a run to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight and was the only year that the Tigers have made the NCAA Tournament. West retired after the 2015-16 season and Brandon Curran coach from 2016-2020 taking ETBU to the ASC Championship game twice in his four years. Lovell, now in his third season, has reached that feat going to the championship game.
ETBU will face Hardin-Simmons University whom they swept this year in two very close games. ETBU last played them on January 19 in Marshall winning, 85-81. They also played each other on December 3 in Abilene taking the game, 80-77.
The ASC Championship game will be the first in a while without the number one or two team playing for the trophy. ETBU is the number three seed while HSU is number four seed. Both teams upset the two higher seeded teams in the tournament. ETBU held off Texas Dallas, 74-71, and HSU upset host UMHB, 78-71.
It will be the first time for the two teams to see each other in the championship game at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday in Belton.
ASC Championship Game Appearances
Record: 1-2
2023: ETBU vs. HSU
2020: LeTourneau, 82, ETBU 79 (Alpine, TX)
2018: SRSU 68, ETBU 65 (Alpine, TX)
2015: ETBU 82, Concordia Texas 71 (Marshall, TX)
ETBU vs. HSU – post season
Record: 0-2
The two teams have only met twice in the post season and ETBU lost them both. The last time they faced each other in the tournament came six years ago in Longview as HSU won, 89-80.
2017: HSU, 89, ETBU 80 – first round (Longview, TX)
2011: HSU 72, ETBU 71 – first round (Richardson, TX)
Series vs. HSU
Record: HSU 20, ETBU 11
Meeting 31 times, HSU has had the upper hand winning 20 times. Prior to ETBU's two wins this season, HSU had won the last four meetings and there was a stretch from 2010 to 2015 where HSU won eight in a row. ETBU has won two games in a row vs. HSU three times and there is only one time they have won three straight back in 2002 to 2004. ETBU won in 2002, 87-80, and then in 2003, 80-64, and the 2004 meeting, 88-79.
Post Season Under Lovell
Friday night marked Chris Lovell's first post-season win at ETBU. In his first year of 2020-21, ETBU didn't make the ASC Tournament and was 14-18 overall. Last year, they went 14-12 and lost in the first round to UMHB. The win over UTD marked his first win and ETBU's first win since the 2019-20 season.
Regional Rankings
ETBU comes into the championship game ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III Region 10 rankings. They earned a win on Friday night over UTD who was seventh in the region. ETBU sits behind Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 20-3 and then Pomona-Pitzer in third (18-3). Mary Hardin-Baylor was second at 21-4 and St. Thomas (TX) was first at 21-2.
ETBU has played St. Thomas, UMHB, and UTD going 2-3 against them. ETBU fell to UST, 83-81, in Houston on November 15 before the Celts were ranked. ETBU then split their series with both UTD and UMHB.
Team Bullet Points
- First 20+ win season since 2019-20
- Aaron Gregg scored 1,000 points earlier this year
- ETBU's defense is second best in the ASC at 74.8 ppg behind UTD's 71.1
- Darry Moore is second in the ASC in scoring at 21.6 and field goal percentage (.639), sixth in FT percentage (.835), and seventh in rebounding (6.7)
- Moore has scored 20+ points in 18 games this year
- Moore has now scored 20+ points in eight consecutive games and has three games with 30+ points with a career high 34 vs. HPU on Feb. 11
- Moore has six double-doubles on the year
- Kevin Charles in the ASC is first in blocks (1.5), third in field goal percentage (.671), and fourth in rebounding (7.5)
- Gregg leads the ASC in assists with 163 and 6.5 per game
- Gregg had a triple double vs. HPU on Feb. 11 with 19 pts, 10 rebs, and 10 assists
- Gregg now has 408 career assists which is 2nd all time at ETBU
