BROWNWOOD, Texas – Jumping out to a 24-3 lead after the first quarter, #25 East Texas Baptist University cruised to a 70-43 road win over Howard Payne University in American Southwest Conference play. ETBU is now 18-4 and 5-0 in the ASC, jumping into the WBCA National Poll this week in 25th.
 
Tiffany Bickford led the team with 16 points in 16 minutes, shooting .500 from the floor (5-of-10) and making three three-pointers. Payton Hicks had eight points and three assists as Hannah Matthews added six points and seven rebounds. Hannah Ayala recorded 12 rebounds with seven points, and Kadia Ward had six assists, three steals, and three rebounds.
 
ETBU shot close to 50 percent in the first half from the floor and three-point range, finishing the game at 36 percent overall and 32 percent from the arc. They went 7-of-13 from the line (53 percent). HPU made 25 percent after only shooting seven percent from the floor in the first quarter and finished going 10-of-30 from three-point range (30 percent), making seven in the second half. They took only four free throws, making three (75 percent). ETBU outrebounded HPU, 49-26, with seven blocks, 12 steals, and forced 20 turnovers for 28 points.
 
The first quarter set the tone for the game as ETBU held HPU to just one made shot and seven percent shooting for a 24-3 lead. ETBU hit four three-pointers and was 9-of-19 from the floor, taking a 24-0 lead. HPU made their only shot from three-point range, with 26 seconds left in the quarter. HPU was 1-of-13 in the quarter. Bickford hit the first two three-pointers at 9:29 and 8:42 for a 6-0 lead. She then added two free throws to make it 10-0 at 7:04 and scored her 11th point of the quarter with 56 seconds left for the 24-0 lead.
 
ETBU connected on 50 percent of their shots in the second quarter and went 3-of-5 from the arc for 60 percent. Ayala canned a three-pointer at 8:21 for a 24-point lead, 27-3, and Hannah Matthews had a layup on an assist from Marley Keith at 3:06, pushing the lead to 30, 40-10. Skylar Smith converted a three-point play with just under a minute as ETBU took their largest lead of 37 points, 47-10. HPU hit a three-pointer with 26 seconds left for a halftime score, 47-13.
 
HPU outscored ETBU, 18-10, in the third quarter, but the Tigers had their largest lead of the game early on. Jayla Hall found Ayala for a layup at 5:54 for a 41-point lead, 56-15. In the final five minutes of the quarter, HPU went on a 16-1 run to come within 26, 57-31.
 
It was a slower fourth quarter as ETBU kept a 30+ point lead for most of the time. Anna Beamesderfer gave ETBU a 30-point lead, 70-40, with under 10 seconds left, but HPU hit a three-pointer before time expired for the 70-43 final.
 
ETBU travels to Abilene, Texas, on Saturday to face Hardin-Simmons University at 1:00 p.m.