BELTON, Texas – Overcoming a nine-point first-quarter deficit, East Texas Baptist University hit nine three-pointers for a 78-68 road win over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. ETBU is now 16-3 and 3-0 in the American Southwest Conference and has a seven-game winning streak.
 
Tiffany Bickford had a career night with her first double-double of career-highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds. She nailed six three-pointers on 12 attempts (.500) and added two assists. Payton Hicks led the team with 21 points with four rebounds going 8-of-13 from the line. Kadia Ward had balanced numbers with 11 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Hannah Matthews finished with nine points and five rebounds, while Madison Hurta gave nine points.
 
ETBU hit 41 percent of their shots, making 36 percent from the three-point line, and was 19-of-27 from the line (70 percent). UMHB shot 34 percent from the floor, 32 percent from the arc, and 60 percent (14-of-23) from the foul line. UMHB outrebounded ETBU, 48-37, but ETBU forced 15 turnovers with 10 steals.
 
UMHB hit three three-pointers in the first quarter for a six-point lead, 19-13. Hicks started the scoring with a jumper 26 seconds in and then held UMHB scoreless for over three minutes. UMHB tied the game at two at 6:44, but 40 seconds later, ETBU had a four-point lead after two Ward free throws, 6-2. Over the next four minutes, UMHB went on a 15-2 run for a nine-point lead, 17-8, at 1:44. Two free throws by Matthews brought the lead down to four, 17-13, with 40 seconds left, but UMHB made two free throws with 18 seconds to go for a six-point lead.
 
ETBU answered with 22 points in the second quarter, taking a two-point halftime lead, 35-33. UMHB moved their lead to six, 21-15, to start the quarter, but ETBU cut the lead to one, twice, by 6:29, 24-23. Madison Hurta nailed a three-pointer to come within one, 24-23. By 5:15, UMHB pushed their lead back to six, 29-23, and had a four-point lead, 31-27, with 3:54 left. ETBU finished the half on an 8-2 run for a two-point lead at the half. Bickford gave ETBU the lead back at 1:25 on a three-pointer, 32-31, as the Tigers held onto a two-point lead at the half.
 
The third quarter became the transition quarter for ETBU as they scored 23 points and shot 53 percent from the floor, making three three-pointers. Hicks put the Tigers up by four, 37-34, to start the quarter. Over the next three minutes, there were four lead changes until ETBU took a four-point lead on another Bickford three-pointer, 45-41, at 6:21. UMHB battled back and took a one-point lead, 54-53, at 1:18. The lasted eight seconds as Hicks hit a jumper at 1:06 and then Bickford added another three-pointer with 30 seconds left for a four-point lead, 58-54.
 
The lead stayed with ETBU the rest of the way through the fourth quarter. UMHB had ETBU's lead down to two twice and was within one, 63-62, at the 6:32 mark. Bickford answered with her sixth three-pointer at 6:08, pushing the lead to four, 66-62. UMHB was back to within two, 66-64, at 5:14 but didn't hit a shot for over three minutes. ETBU also didn't shoot well in that time, and it was a two-point game with 2:03 left. Hicks hit a clutch three-pointer at 1:48 for a five-point lead, 71-66. ETBU went 7-of-8 in the final 1:12 from the foul line as they won the game by 10, 78-68, as Hicks was 5-of-6.
 
ETBU travels to Richardson, Texas, for a Saturday game at 1:00 p.m. against Texas Dallas.