February 19, 2016
BASKETBALL (M): MARSHALL, Texas (2/18/16) – Sending the seniors out in style winning 20th game of the year and 31 out of their last 32 in Ornelas Gym, the East Texas Baptist University men’s basketball shot 51.8 percent from the field en route to a 78-66 victory over Belhaven (Miss.) University on Thursday night. With the American Southwest Conference East Division title already clinched, ETBU improves to 20-5 overall this season.
#TIGERSWIN: ETBU Ends Regular Season w/Big Win
BASKETBALL (W): MARSHALL, Texas (2/18/16) – A fourth quarter surge gave the East Texas Baptist University women’s basketball team a 68-53 victory over the Belhaven Blazers on Thursday night. The win gives ETBU a final regular season record of 16-9 and a conference record of 9-7. It was also the final home game for four seniors as Cekret Davis, Morgan Garrett, April Leonard, and Ambrosia Woodard went out in style.
For ETBU, Taylee Alexander once again led the team with her eighth double-double of the season as she picked up 19 points and 15 rebounds. Garrett and Chisholm each would each have nine points while Lauren Lee had seven points and five rebounds. For Belhaven, Ieshia Dixon led the Blazers with 13 points while Candler Gregory had 11 points and seven rebounds.
ETBU would win every shooting category as they shot the ball 35% from the field while Belhaven had 30%. From threes, ETBU made 29% to Belhaven’s 19% while from the free throw line, ETBU made 68% while Belhaven made 58%. ETBU would win the rebound battle 47-46, dish out more assists by a score of 13-7, and steal the ball 13 times to the seven by the Blazers.
After a few scoreless minutes, Belhaven started the game with a basket at 6:21 mark. ETBU would run off with a 6-0 run on baskets by Woodard, Davis, and Alexander. However, the Blazers would quickly answer with an 8-4 run to end the first quarter tied at 10.
ETBU started the second quarter on a three-pointer by Kaitlyn Packett and two free throws by Woodard. For the next couple of minutes, it seemed like when ETBU made their lead a two-score game, Belhaven would answer with a three to make it a one score game. A layup by Alexander and a three by Garrett would be met by Belhaven who answered with threes. The Blazers would take a 22-20 lead at the 1:35 mark. But a layup by Leonard would give ETBU a one point lead at halftime at 23-22.
The third quarter would be a shootout as both teams came out scoring. However, Belhaven would take the lead and increase it to 34-30 with 6:21 to go. Free throws by Alexander would end up tying the score at 35 with 4:44 to go. Belhaven and ETBU would match basket for basket until a three by Chisholm at 1:24 would give ETBU a lead they would never relinquish. Only a three by Garrett at the buzzer would give ETBU 49-44 lead after three quarters.
Chisholm would get the fourth quarter started right when she stole the inbounds pass and scored a layup. Alexander would then hit free throws and ETBU had a 10-point lead for the first time of the game at 56-46. A three by Packett made it a 13 point lead and ETBU would manage to cruise the rest of the way for the win. With 2:17 left, coach Edsel Hamilton would pull the four seniors for the final time and the Tigers marched their way to victory.
ETBU will now head to Tyler to compete in the the ASC tournament next week.
Coming off of the bench for ETBU, Wilbert Thomas shot seven-of-10 from the floor and finished with 16 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, the latter figure leading all players. Dylan Augustine had 19 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Jordan Quillian added 11 points and three blocked shots. Junior Mitchell chipped in 10 points, three rebounds and two assists.
ETBU hit 54.5 percent of its shots from the field in the first half (54.5 percent) to exit the court with a 45-28 lead at halftime. By comparison, Belhaven converted 37.5 percent of its first-half shots (12-of-32) and 14.3 percent of its attempts from 3-point distance (one-of-seven).
The first half consisted of a couple of pronounced offensive runs by the two teams. After Kyle Patterson scored the game’s first basket for Belhaven, ETBU strung together 11-straight points to claim an 11-2 edge. In this stretch, the team hit four-of-six shots with four different ETBU players scoring. Following a De’la Mayers basket for Belhaven at the 14:47 mark, ETBU scored eight-consecutive points to move ahead, 19-4, with 11:25 until halftime.
Further on in the opening half, a successful 3-point shot by CJ Sweet gave ETBU a 30-10 advantage with 6:21 on the clock. Still trailing by 20 points at 35-15 with little more than five minutes until the break, Belhaven used an 11-0 run to bring the game back to within single digits. Mayers scored at the 2:59 mark to put the score at 35-26.
The action along moved into the second half, and a layup by Mitchell put ETBU up by 20 points once again, 50-30, with 17:39 remaining in regulation. Belhaven then scored eight-straight points to draw within a dozen points, 50-38. ETBU began to regain some space, however, pushing its lead to 17 points after a 3-point shot by Anthony Davis at the 14:20 mark to make it a 57-40 game.
Belhaven continued to stick around, and went on a 14-4 run to put a serious dent into ETBU’s double-digit advantage. After a 3-point shot by Josh Carpenter, Belhaven’s deficit returned to single digits yet again, this time at 61-54 with 8:42 left to play. Still ahead by seven points at 63-56, ETBU scored seven-consecutive points to return its edge to double figures, 70-56, with less than five minutes remaining in regulation.
For the night, ETBU held a 39-to-28 edge in rebounding and attempted twice as many free throws as Belhaven (16-to-8). Also ETBU totaled more assists than turnovers (17-to-16).
For Belhaven, Mayers scored a game-best 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting. He also had seven rebounds. Carpenter finished with 18 points, while Josh Gaskin chipped in 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.
With its regular-season schedule now completed, ETBU will wait to learn of its opponent for the first round of next week’s ASC Championship Tournament.