ABILENE, Texas – Shooting 71 percent with 28 points in the third quarter, no. 25 East Texas Baptist University held off Hardin-Simmons University, 82-79, on the road in American Southwest Conference play. ETBU is now 19-4 and 6-0 in the ASC.
 
Payton Hicks shot 70 percent from the floor for 24 points with six rebounds and six assists and four steals. Tiffany Bickford added a double-double with 16 points, making three three-pointers and 11 rebounds. Kadia Ward followed with 14 points and six rebounds, and Madison Hurta added 11 with four rebounds.
 
ETBU shot 51 percent, making seven three-pointers (38 percent), and was 17-of-23 from the line (73 percent). HSU made 40 percent of their shots with nine three-pointers for 42 percent and was 12-of-20 from the line (60 percent). HSU outrebounded ETBU 43-33, but ETBU had eight steals.
 
HSU took the lead after the first quarter, 24-17. ETBU had a 7-3 lead at 7:43, but over three minutes, HSU went on a 10-0 run for a six-point lead, 13-7. By 1:31, HSU had a 12-point lead, 24-12, but Sara Cowan hit a three-pointer with 16 seconds left to pull ETBU within seven, 24-17.
 
Both teams struggled in the second quarter as ETBU held HSU to 11 points. With 5:44, Hannah Matthews had a layup to put ETBU within two, 26-24. HSU took a four-point lead, 28-24, at 5:28, but ETBU went on an 8-1 run over three minutes for a three-point lead, 32-29 on a Bickford free throw. HSU fought back for a three-point lead, 35-32, with a 6-0 at 1:28, but ETBU scored the final four points for a one-point lead at the half as Hurta made one free throw, 36-35.
 
The third quarter became the difference as ETBU shot 71 percent, going 10-of-14 from the floor and scoring 28 points. HSU stayed with ETBU, scoring 22 points, but the Tigers had a seven-point lead heading to the fourth. ETBU opened the half on an 8-2 run for a seven-point lead, 44-37, on a Hurta layup. At 5:53, Hurta had a fast-break layup for a nine-point lead, 54-45. Over five minutes, HSU had a 12-7 run to come within four, 61-57. Bickford, though, hit a three-pointer with 24 seconds left for the seven-point lead.
 
In the fourth quarter, HSU outscored ETBU 22-18 and had to overcome an eight-point lead. Cowan hit a three-pointer at 8:34 for an eight-point lead, 67-59. In the next six minutes, HSU had a 15-6 run to take the lead, 74-73, with 2:57 to go. Ward gave ETBU the lead back at 2:36 on a jumper, and Bickford gave the Tigers a three-point lead, 77-74, on a layup at 2:06. Ward kept ETBU in front by four, 79-75, with 44 seconds left to play. HSU was within one, 80-79, with 14 seconds left, but Hicks hit two free throws with 11 seconds left to make it 82-79. HSU missed a three-pointer with three seconds to go as ETBU held onto the win.
 
ETBU will host Mary Hardin-Baylor on Saturday, February 15, at 1:00 p.m.