March 5, 2018
After a tightly fought first quarter, the East Texas Baptist women's basketball suddenly caught fire for the rest of the game as they would upset the University of Texas Dallas Comets for the second time in two weeks winning 64-51 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Tigers will continue to dance as they will advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history and are now 24-6 on the year.
Leading ETBU was Sydney Saxton with 15 points and eight rebounds while Kim Childress (four assists) and Madison McCoy would each score in double-figures. Victoria Pena was UTD's top scorer with 19 points while Kelley Skinner scored 10 points for the Comets.
ETBU made 60% from the field, 55.6% from downtown, and 73.3% from the free-throw line while holding the Comets to 25%, 18.2%, and 67.7% in the categories respectively. ETBU also out rebounded UTD 35-29 and had a bench that outscored UTD's 25-1.
After UTD started the game with a basket (9:32), a three-pointer by Boren gave ETBU a 3-2 lead (9:16). UTD then went on a 9-2 run to lead 11-5 (5:50). But ETBU would then answer back as they would tie the game at 14-14 (1:57). This included five points (4:57, 2:59, 2:06) by Saxton and a jumper by Brittney Jones (1:17). Each team then made free throws before UTD scored with one second left to lead 18-16 after one quarter.
The Tigers came out flying in the second quarter scoring nine straight points (10:00-4:00) to lead 25-18. Kim Childress(8:53), Amanda Wilson (7:32), Boren (6:46), and Mallory Stephens (4:00) would contribute to the run as they would hold UTD scoreless for the first six minutes. The closest UTD would get to was 27-23 (2:29). But again, Stephens (2:06) and Saxton (1:21) would push ETBU's lead to 31-23. UTD would get one last basket to trail 31-25 at halftime.
ETBU would catch fire in the third quarter as they would score eleven straight points (10:00-6:13) to lead 42-25 as five points from Childress (8:28, 6:35) were accompanied by baskets from Wilson (9:18), Madison McCoy (7:53), and Baylie Lindsey (6:13). But that didn't phase UTD, who would storm back to put together a 12-4 run (5:18-0:28) as they got the lead back to single-digits. But Saxton would put the lead back to double-digits at 48-37 at the end of the third quarter.
When McCoy started the fourth quarter with a three, ETBU led 51-37 (8:56). But UTD would soon cut the lead to eight points as they scored six straight to trail 51-43. The Comets run's ended by five points from the Colorado natives of McCoy (5:49, 4:25) and Childress (5:03) who scored five straight points to push the lead back to 58-43. UTD would make one final push to cut the lead to 58-50 (1:48) only for ETBU to secure the win with free throws from McCoy (1:09) and Lindsey (0:44) before Saxton scored the final basket with twenty seconds left.
ETBU will play the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) next week in the Sweet 16.