ABILENE, Texas – A 9-1 run over four minutes in the fourth quarter boosted East Texas Baptist University to a 78-73 win over McMurry University in American Southwest Conference play. ETBU held McM to just 21 percent shooting in the fourth quarter and three made baskets to comeback for the win. ETBU is now 7-11 overall and 4-6 in the ASC.
 
Michaela James led ETBU with a career-high 22 points shooting 50 percent (5-of-10) from the three-point line grabbing five rebounds. Payton Hicks added 12 points and Hannah Matthews 11 points and six rebounds. Kadia Ward led the team with nine rebounds. Emily Holland led McMurry with 25 points.
 
It was a great day of shooting for ETBU going 26-of-29 from the line, making 40 percent of their shots from the floor and 34 percent from the arc. McMurry finished shooting 40 percent overall, 42 percent from the three-point line, and 70 percent in free throws. ETBU out rebounded McM, 41-32, forcing 18 turnovers for 17 points.
 
The game came down to the final quarter as McM entered with a one-point lead, 59-58. Two free throws put the Warhawks up, 61-58, at the 9:27 mark. Over the next four minutes, ETBU went on their 9-1 run to retake the lead and hold onto the game. Matthews started the run with a jumper to pull within one and then Ward hit two free throws but McM maded one-of-two free throws to stay in front. At 8:32, Ward made two free throws to tie the game at 62. Matthews added two more points in the run to break the tie, 64-62, with 7:52 left. Sara Cowan nailed a three-pointer at 5:29 for four-point lead, 67-63. ETBU never lost the lead after that. McM pulled to within one, 69-68, with 2:31 to go but James swooshed her fifth three-pointer of the game at 1:54 for a four-point lead, 72-68. In the last minute and half, ETBU went 6-of-8 at the line for the five-point win, 78-73.
 
McMurry had their best quarter of the game in the third period shooting 70 percent going 3-of-3 from the arc. They overcame an early six-point ETBU lead, 47-41, to take a 54-49 lead at 2:47 on a 13-2 run. ETBU cut the lead to one, 59-58, to end the third quarter.
 
It was a back and forth first half as McMurry had a four-point lead, 21-17, at the end of the first quarter. ETBU answered with 21 points in the second quarter to take a two-point lead, 38-36, at the half.
 
ETBU will host Mary Hardin-Baylor on January 25 in Ornelas Gym at 5:30 p.m.