MARSHALL, Texas – Shooting 63 percent in the second half, East Texas Baptist University won the LaGrange College Christmas Tournament with a 79-63 win over host LaGrange. ETBU is now 3-8 and won two games in a row.
 
Five players scored in double figures as Michael Roberts went 9-of-10 from the free throw line for 16 points, grabbing seven rebounds. Joshua R Davis scored 14 points, shooting 50 percent, while Colin Roberts and Sedric Curry scored 11. Josh Joe added 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Nathan Fleming led the team with 12 rebounds.
 
ETBU shot 44 percent from the floor, made 10 three-pointers for 45 percent, and was 25-of-28 from the line (89 percent). LaGrange made 37 percent of their shots, 30 percent from the arc, and 64 percent from the foul line. ETBU outrebounded LaGrange, 38-28.
 
After LC took a 3-0 lead on the opening shot, ETBU went on a 16-4 run over five minutes for a nine-point lead, 16-7. Davis hit a three-pointer for the nine-point lead and had 12 points in the run, all on three-pointers. By the 10:00 mark, LC pulled to within two, 20-18, but ETBU held the Panthers scoreless for almost seven minutes on a 10-0 run for a 12-point lead, 30-18. LC cut the lead to eight, 31-23, at the half.
 
ETBU had a strong second half, shooting 63 percent and 20-of-22 from the line. LC came within five, 35-30, at 17:48, but by 14:52, ETBU's lead was back to 12 points on two Colin Roberts free throws. ETBU still had a five-point lead, 52-47, at 9:15 as it was down to four points, 53-49, at 7:12. Joe nailed a three-pointer at 5:36 for a 10-point lead, 61-51, but LC came within six, 62-56, with just under four minutes to play. ETBU pushed the lead back to 13 on a Fleming dunk at 1:46, keeping the double-digit lead the rest of the way. ETBU went 8-of-8 from the foul line in the final 1:13 for the win.
 
ETBU will host George Fox on Wednesday, December 18, at 5:00 p.m.