November 15, 2016
Using an 11-0 run to begin the second half, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team took control of their season opener against Centenary College en route to a 90-77 win, the first for new ETBU head coach Brandon Curran. Centenary falls to 0-1 to begin their season, and ETBU improves to 1-0 following the first game of the season.
ETBU saw a lead increase to 15, 26-11, before Centenary fired four threes from downtown to get them back in the contest. ETBU closed out the first half on an unintentional alley-oop from Robby Dooley to extend the lead to 48-41 at the break. ETBU had an 11-0 run to begin the second half to extend the lead to 17 points, before Centenary hit their first shot. Centenary brought the game back within eight points midway through the second half, but ETBU held them to 27% from the floor in the second half as they could not get any closer to the Tigers.
Travion Kirkendoll led the Gents with 25 points and Treylan Matthews pitched in 21 points. KJ Boyd added 10 points as the third and final player with double digit points. Kirkendoll led Centenary with six rebounds, and Matthews and James Sapp added five rebounds each. Centenary shot 36% from the field, 47% from behind the arc, and 69% from the free throw line.
Dylan Augustine had 20 points to lead ETBU and finished with six three pointers, with four of those coming in the first half. Jordan Gosey finished with his first career double-double in his first start for ETBU, finishing with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Will Thomas had 17 rebounds and Jordan Quillian added 11 rebounds. Paul Richard Jr. added 10 points, Tyler Day finished with nine points, and Thomas finished a basket shy of a double-double. ETBU shot 43% from the floor, 37% from behind the arc, and 55% from the free throw line.
ETBU hit 11 three pointers in the contest to lead the way, and outrebounded the opposition 57-30. ETBU turned the ball over 20 times in the contest with Centenary only turning the ball over 10 times.
ETBU returns to action this weekend in Memphis, Tennessee at the Rhodes College Tip-Off Tournament. ETBU will play Huntingdon College on Saturday, November 19th at 1:00 p.m., and will play either Wilmington University or Rhodes College on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The next home game for ETBU will be on November 23rd against Concordia University at 2:00 p.m. in a nonconference match.