GEORGETOWN, Texas—Holding off Southwestern University in the game's final seconds, East Texas Baptist University earned its first win of the year, 54-53. Southwestern hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, but ETBU had a four-point lead to secure the one-point win. The team is now 1-5 overall.
 
Michael Roberts led the way with a double-double, scoring 24 points with 13 rebounds, five steals, and three blocks. Mason Williams, Jason Justice, and Sedric Curry all had six points. Curry and Justice both added five rebounds.
 
ETBU shot just 34.5 percent and was 3-of-18 from the arc (16 percent) and 76 percent from the line. Southwestern made 41 percent of their shots, hit only 19 percent from the three-point line, and was 58 percent from the stripe. ETBU outrebounded Southwestern 34-27, forced 14 turnovers, and had four blocks.
 
Down two early, 5-3, ETBU went on a 9-2 run for a seven-point lead, 12-7, at 13:15. Roberts put ETBU up with a layup after a SU turnover as he six of the nine points in the run. With 5:48 left in the half, SU was up, 19-17, but ETBU answered on a 9-0 run for a seven-point lead, 26-19. Roberts once again hit the shot for the seven-point lead. Curry had four of the nine points in the run. After Roberts' jumper at 2:25 for the seven-point lead, ETBU didn't hit a shot in the final two minutes for a 26-21 halftime lead.
 
In the second half, Roberts gave ETBU a 10-point lead, 38-28, with 11:27 left in the game. By the 7:45 mark, SU cut the lead to four, 42-39, and it was down to a one-point lead, 45-44, with 4:45 left. ETBU scored five straight points, pushing the lead to six, 50-44, as Justice hit two free throws at the 3:17 mark. With 31 seconds left, SU had a layup, pulling with four, 54-50. The Pirates missed two free throws with 12 seconds left and then grabbed a rebound off an ETBU missed free throw with seven seconds left to hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, 54-53. The missed free throws became the difference in the game within the final minute.
 
ETBU will take on Schreiner University on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. at Southwestern.