MARSHALL, Texas – Clawing back into the game after a slow start, no. 18/19 East Texas Baptist University couldn't overcome the first-half deficit, falling in the NCAA Division III Tournament first round to Texas Lutheran University, 62-59. ETBU ended their season at 23-5 and went 12-1 in Ornelas Gym.
 
Payton Hicks led ETU with 19 points and four assists, going 7-of-7 from the line. Madison Hurta added 12 points as Hannah Matthews finished with eight points and five rebounds. Tristan Smith led the team with eight rebounds.
 
ETBU shot just 34 percent and was 4-of-18 from the arc (22 percent), going 9-of-13 from the line (69 percent). TLU shot 43 percent, made five three-pointers for 31 percent, and shot 50 percent from the line. ETBU outrebounded TLU 42-35 and forced 16 turnovers for 20 points.
 
Shooting just over 25 percent in the first half and making one three-pointer, ETBU struggled early. In the first quarter, ETBU went 0-for-5 from the arc and made just 25 percent from the floor. At one point in the quarter, no points were scored for almost four minutes as TLU had a three-point lead, 7-4. Jayla Hall cut the lead to one, 7-6, at 4:51, but TLU finished the half on a 12-4 run for a nine-point lead.
 
Nobody scored for almost two minutes to start the second quarter as two Hicks free throws brought the lead down to seven, 19-12. TLU made it a nine-point lead, 21-12, at 7:12, but by 4:58, ETBU cut the lead to six, 21-15, on two Hicks free throws. That was part of a 12-2 run over five minutes as Hurta hit ETBU's first three-pointer at 2:48 to come within on, 23-22, and put ETBU in front with a layup at 2:24 for the one-point advantage, 24-23. The two teams went back and forth as TLU took a two-point lead at the half, 28-26.
 
In the first four minutes of the third quarter, TLU went on a 9-2 run for a nine-point lead, 37-28. ETBU answered in a minute and a half on an 8-0 run with two three-pointers from Hannah Ayala to come within one, 37-36. TLU built their lead back up to nine, 48-39, at 1:36 on an 11-3 run and had a 10-point lead, 52-42, heading to the fourth quarter.
 
Two buckets within a minute of the fourth quarter put TLU up by 15, 56-42. ETBU answered with an 11-0 run over six minutes, pulling within three, 56-53. Hurta hit a three-pointer at 3:26 to put ETBU back within striking distance. At the 1:14 mark, Hurta had a layup on a fast break to stay within one, 58-57, and Hicks had two free throws to tie the game at 59 with 37 seconds left. TLU broke the tie with 21 seconds on a layup, 61-59, and missed two free throws with 11 seconds left as ETBU had the ball. Seven seconds later, ETBU turned the ball over, and TLU made one free throw for the win.
 
ETBU finished 24-5 and was the ASC regular season and tournament champions.