MARSHALL, Texas – Leading from start to finish over Belhaven University, East Texas Baptist University opened up their home schedule with a 64-58 victory over the Blazers. ETBU is now 6-1 on the year heading into Thanksgiving Break.
 
Jayla Hall collected a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead the team. Payton Hicks added 14 points going 10-of-12 at the line with five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Madison Hurta added 10 points, and Kadia Ward finished with eight points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block. Hannah Ayala grabbed 11 rebounds and added six points.
 
ETBU shot 33 percent from the floor, 25 percent from the arc, and 64 percent from the line. Belhaven made just 31 percent of their shots, hit 21 percent from the three-point line, and was 57 percent from the free-throw line. ETBU outrebounded BU, 56-46, and forced 11 turnovers.
 
Hurta opened the game with a three-pointer just 40 seconds into the game as ETBU didn't look back. That started a 10-2 run over five minutes as ETBU had an early eight-point lead. Hicks hit two free throws for the eight-point lead as Hall had six of the points in the run. BU cut the lead to five, 15-10, by the end of the first quarter.
 
BU cut the lead to three points, 15-12, 30 seconds into the second quarter, but over the next seven minutes, ETBU went on a 12-0 run. ETBU pushed its lead to 15 points in that run, 27-12, as Hall made two free throws. BU did come within nine, 29-20, but a Hurta jumper with 16 seconds left gave ETBU a 31-20 halftime lead.
 
Neither team scored in the first three minutes of the third quarter as BU outscored ETBU 17-13. Ayala made two free throws at 4:58 for a 12-point lead, 35-23, and then had a jumper in the paint for a 13-point lead, 39-26, 40 seconds later. BU responded on a 6-0 run to come within six, 39-32, with 1:35 to go but a Hall jumper gave ETBU a nine-point lead, 43-34, with 46 seconds left. BU hit a three-pointer with 17 seconds on the clock to pull within seven, 44-37, to end the third quarter.
 
BU didn't go away in the fourth quarter as they scored the first bucket cutting the lead to five, 44-39. Hall put the lead back at 10, 49-39, at 8:06, and Hicks had a layup at 7:29 for a 12-point lead, 51-39. Hicks hit two more free throws at 6:25, bringing ETBU's lead to 13, 55-42. By 2:52, BU was within six on an 11-4 run, 59-53. With under a minute to go, BU had a layup to make it a five-point game, 63-58, but Ward made one of two free throws with 14 seconds left for a six-point lead, 64-58. Hall stole the ball with 12 seconds left, and ETBU ran out the clock to win.
 
ETBU will play on December 7 in Ornelas Gym, hosting Centenary College at 3:00 p.m.