MARSHALL, Texas – Coming down to the final minute of the game, East Texas Baptist University came up short of an upset of the University of Texas Dallas, 67-63. ETBU ends the regular season at 13-12 and 9-7 in the American Southwest Conference.
 
Jayla Hall shot 50 percent from the floor for 18 points to lead ETBU. Michaela James recorded her third straight double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds and Payton Hicks added 10 points, four assists and four rebounds. UTD's Blythe Williams had 17 points.
 
ETBU shot 33 percent overall making 30 percent from the arc and only 75 percent (25-of-33) from the line. UTD made 39 percent of their shots, was 4-of-21 from the three-point line (19 percent), and was 21-of-24 from the line (87 percent). UTD out rebounded ETBU, 36-35.
 
The first half went ETBU's way outscoring UTD, 21-10, in the first quarter and taking a 42-36 lead at the half. Up 7-6 with 3:56 to go in the first quarter, ETBU finished on a 14-4 run for an 11-point lead. James hit a three-pointer with 20 seconds left for the 11-point lead.
 
UTD scored 26 points to ETBU's 21 points in the second quarter as they shot 54 percent. ETBU opened up the quarter with two free throws from Kadia Ward for a 13-point lead, 23-10. At the 8:53 mark, ETBU continued with a 13-point lead, 25-12, on a Hall layup. Hall had a free throw at 5:59 for an 11-point lead, 33-22, but in three and half minutes UTD had a 10-4 run to come within five, 37-32. James hit two free throws with 55 seconds left in the half but UTD banked in a layup with two seconds left to cut the lead to six, 42-36.
 
ETBU only scored six points in the third quarter and kept the lead for the entire quarter until under a minute to go. UTD hit two free throws to tie the game at 48 entering the fourth quarter. There were three ties in the fourth quarter as UTD took a four-point lead, 59-55, with 5:11 left to play. In a minute and a half, ETBU tied the game at 59 on an Ashlynn Galving layup. At 2:55, Tristan Smith nailed two free throws to tie the game at 61. UTD pushed the lead back to four, 65-61, with 2:02 left. Hall pulled ETBU within one at 1:39 on a free throw and the with 43 seconds left ETBU had a chance to tie with three free throws but made just one to come within two, 65-63. UTD hit a layup with 19 seconds left for the four-point win.
 
ETBU will be the #5 seed in the ASC Tournament and travel to Abilene, Texas, on Tuesday to face #4 seed McMurry University.