MARSHALL, Texas—Leading from the start of the game, East Texas Baptist University shot over 40 percent, making eight three-pointers, as they ended the University of Texas Dallas' five-game winning streak, 74-51. ETBU is now 13-3 and has won its last four games.
 
Madison Hurta earned a career-high 20 points, going 8-of-12 from the floor with four three-pointers. She has now scored double digits in 15 of 16 games played. Both Payton Hicks and Hannah Matthews added 10 points. Hicks also added six rebounds, five assists, and four steals, while Matthews had six rebounds, three assists, and a block. Macey Jones scored eight points, and Kadia Ward scored seven and had seven rebounds.
 
ETBU finished shooting 47 percent, with their best quarter in the first at 66 percent (10-of-15). They also made 42 percent from the arc (8-of-19) and went 14-of-20 from the line (70 percent). UTD made only 28 percent of their shots, with 25 percent from the three-point line and 86 percent at the foul line. ETBU won the rebounding battle, 36-34, and forced 22 turnovers for 25 points with 17 steals.
 
The first quarter became the difference in the game as ETBU shot 66 percent to take a 25-6 lead. UTD only made three shots from the floor with two of their buckets in the first two minutes. UTD hit their final shot of the quarter at 6:55 to come within one, 7-6. ETBU finished the final six and half minutes on an 18-0 run for the 19-point lead. Matthews started the run on a banked layup followed by a Hurta three-pointer. Sara Cowan, Hurta, and Tiffany Bickford hit three-pointers in the run. Jayla Hall gave ETBU an 11-point lead, 17-6, at 4:51, but neither team hit a shot in the next two minutes. Cowan nailed a three-pointer at 2:53, and then Bickford followed with 37 seconds left for a 17-point lead, 23-6. Hurta ended the quarter with a layup for the 25-6 advantage.
 
UTD fought back in the second quarter, outscoring ETBU, 19-14. Hurta started the quarter with another three-pointer for a 20-point lead, 28-8, at 8:27. UTD chipped away at ETBU's lead and by 3:06 was within 11, 32-21. Hurta canned another three-pointer with 47 seconds left for a 14-point lead, 39-25, just before halftime.
 
Despite not making any three-pointers in the third quarter, ETBU kept their distance. UTD pulled to within 10, 39-29, with 8:36 to go, but Hurta gave ETBU a 12-point lead at 8:12. Over the next four minutes, neither team made a shot before Hicks made both free throws at 4:25. With 1:55 left, Ward swooshed both of her free throws to put the lead back to 19, 50-31. Hannah Ayala also made two free throws with 57 seconds left for a 20-point lead, 53-33, before UTD had a three-pointer to end the quarter, 53-36.
 
Scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter, Ward gave ETBU a 23-point lead, 62-39, at 7:05 on a fast break layup after stealing the ball. ETBU kept a 20+ point lead the rest of the way. Macey Jones hit two straight shots to keep the lead at 24 on a layup at 3:23 (67-43) and then swooshed a three-pointer at 2:53 to make it 70-46. Anna Beamesderfer connected on two free throws with 1:36 left to push the lead to 25, 72-47. Skyler Smith kept the lead at 25, 74-49, with 47 seconds to go on a layup. UTD made two free throws to end the game for a 74-51 final.
 
ETBU will host no. 13 Hardin-Simmons University on Thursday, January 16, at 5:30 p.m. in Ornelas Gym.