MARSHALL, Texas – Headed to their fourth straight American Southwest Conference Tournament semi-final game, East Texas Baptist University will face host #16 Hardin-Simmons University. It is the second year in a row that ETBU will play at HSU in the semi-final as they defeated Mary Hardin-Baylor last year in overtime.
ETBU is 14-12 on the year and coming off a 66-53 win over McMurry University in the first round. ETBU is the no. 5 seed with a 9-7 record in the ASC and has won eight of their last nine games.
They will face the Cowgirls at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
NOTES
Series vs. Hardin-Simmons
HSU 26, ETBU 11 | NCAA Division III era
Last 15 meetings: ETBU 8, HSU 7
The 2023-24 series has been split as ETBU shocked #9 HSU on December 2 in Marshall, 66-65. #19 HSU then won the game in Abilene on January 18, 80-59. HSU, though, has won four out of the last five meetings. In 2022-23, HSU won both meetings and won four of the last five meetings. The last time these two teams met in the ASC Tournament came in 2022 at Ornelas Gym in Marshall. #21 ETBU fell to #25 HSU, 56-55, in their third straight nationally ranked meeting.
Last 10 Meetings | ETBU 5, HSU 5
#19 HSU 80, ETBU 59 (Jan. 18, 2024) - Abilene
ETBU 66, #9 HSU 65 (Dec. 2, 2023) - Marshall
#15 HSU 67, ETBU 56 (Jan. 19, 2023) – Marshall
#24 HSU 81, ETBU 65 (Dec. 3, 2022) – Abilene
#25 HSU 56, #21 ETBU 55 (Feb. 25, 2022) – Marshall (ASC Tournament Semi-Finals)
#20 ETBU 56, #16 HSU 51 (Jan. 20, 2022) – Abilene
#9 ETBU 58, #10 HSU 54 (Dec. 4, 2021) – Marshall
ETBU 77, HSU 50 (Jan. 9, 2021) – Marshall
ETBU 64, HSU 50 (Dec. 19, 2020) – Abilene
HSU 53, ETBU 51 OT (Jan. 2, 2020) – Abilene
ETBU in Abilene – Post Season Play
ETBU has now played three games in Abilene for post season with one in McMurry and two at Hardin-Simmons. ETBU is 2-2 in the ASC Tournament in Abilene winning their last two three games. Last year, ETBU went 1-1 at HSU in the ASC Tournament defeating UMHB, 68-65, in overtime in the semi-finals but then fell to Texas Dallas, 63-57.
ETBU Post-Season Games in Abilene
ETBU 66, McMurry 53 (Feb. 20, 2023) – at McMurry
Texas Dallas 63, ETBU 57 (Feb. 25, 2023) – at HSU
ETBU 68, UMHB 65 OT (Feb. 24, 2023) – at HSU
HSU 104, ETBU 50 (Feb. 25) – at HSU
Arbogast in ASC Tournament
Head Coach
Blake Arbogast has led ETBU to four straight ASC Tournament appearances. For the program, it is the seventh straight time to make the ASC Tournament. Arbogast is 4-3 in the ASC Tournament after a win on Tuesday night against McMurry. He has made two ASC Championship game appearances in 2021 (vs. UMHB) and 2023 (vs. UTD). This year was the first year that he played in a first-round game defeating McMurry on the road as the #5 seed.
Ranked Opponents
ETBU put together one of the hardest schedules in nation this year taking on six ranked teams. They are 2-4 with wins over #9 HSU, 66-65, and #14 UMHB, 79-47. The win over UMHB was the largest win over a ranked opponent in program history.
vs. Ranked Opponents – 2023-24
ETBU 79, #14 UMHB 47 (Jan. 25)
#19 HSU 80, ETBU 59 (Jan. 18)
ETBU 66, #9 HSU 65 (Dec. 2)
#3 Christopher Newport 52, ETBU 45 (Nov. 18)
#18 Elizabethtown 58, ETBU 55 (Nov. 17)
#12 Trinity 80, ETBU 71 (Nov. 12)
Team Bullet Points
- Michaela James has posted four straight double-double games averaging 10.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. She has five double-doubles on the year.
- Payton Hicks as scored 10 or more points in the last 11 games
- Jayla Hall has produced two double-doubles on the year and scored in double figures the past four games
- Kadia Ward has three double-doubles on the year and scored a career-high 21 points vs. UTD on Jan. 11
- Hannah Matthews has one double-double and scored 10 or more points in nine games this year
- James leads the team in three-pointers made with 31 as Hicks has 29 made
- Hicks has gone to the free throw line 158 times making 120 free throws (.759)
- Matthews leads the team with 18 blocks while Hannah Ayala has 15 and Tristan Smith 11
- ETBU has won eight out of their last nine games with a seven-game winning streak from Jan. 20 through Feb. 25.
