ABILENE, Texas – Playing in their seventh straight American Southwest Conference Tournament semi-final game, East Texas Baptist University's season came to an end, 83-53, to #16 Hardin-Simmons University. ETBU finishes the year at 14-13 for the seventh straight winning season.
 
Payton Hicks led the scoring for ETBU with 15 points and Michaela James recorded her fifth straight double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Jayla Hall finished with eight points and seven rebounds. Paris Kiser had 20 points for HSU.
 
ETBU shot 29 percent from the floor, made just 10 percent of their three-pointers (2-of-19), and was 21-of-24 at the line (87 percent). HSU finished shooting 49 percent, made 12 three-pointers for 38 percent, and shot 68 percent from the free throw line. ETBU out rebounded HSU, 39-34.
 
The first quarter was the closest for ETBU as they trailed HSU, 16-12. ETBU came within one, 11-10, on a Hicks layup at 1:24. Hall also hit two free throws with 50 seconds left in the quarter to pull within one, 13-12, before HSU hit at three-pointer with 27 seconds left for the four-point advantage.
 
HSU put the game away in the second quarter outscoring ETBU, 28-9, shooting 58 percent from the floor and 55 percent from the arc. ETBU trailed at the half, 44-21. ETBU outscored HSU, 15-13, in the third quarter but the Cowgirls scored 26 points in the fourth quarter for a 30+ point lead.
 
ETBU has now had seven straight winning seasons with four under Blake Arbogast. Five players leave ETBU as seniors in Hicks, Hall, James, Hannah Matthews, and Lindsey Schale.