RICHARDSON, Texas — Senior point guard Casey Riddle hit two free throws with 5.2 to play as Hardin-Simmons' men's basketball team overcame a 17-point second-half deficit to beat East Texas Baptist, 71-70, in the quarterfinals of the American Southwest Conference Tournament on Friday afternoon at the UTD Activities Center in Richardson.
East Texas Baptist used a 14-of-20 effort at the free throw line in the first half to take a 42-37 halftime lead. The Tigers then came out of the locker room and had a 14-2 run to take a 56-39 lead with 15:53 to play.
HSU clamped down defensively after that and slowly chipped away at the deficit. ETBU would only score 15 points the rest of the way. HSU scored seven straight points to make it 56-46 with 13:03 to play. Riddle had five of the seven and Terrance Booker had a steal and layup in the run.
After ETBU pushed the lead back 12 at 60-48, HSU went on a 11-0 run from the 10:13 mark to the 4:58 mark to cut it to 60-59.
Ryan Carlson tied the game at 62 all with a 3-pointer and Josh Chambers scored to make it 64-62 and Riddle hit a lay-up to tie it at 64 with 3:25. ETBU's Jaron Joseph and Carlson traded 3-pointers and then Jacob Turnipseed hit a pair of free throws to give ETBU a 69-67 lead with 2:29 to play.
Booker then gave the Cowboys a 70-69 lead with a pull-up 3-pointer in transition with 1:43 to play. After HSU got a stop and rebound, freshman Joe Richards missed a pair of free throws with :27 to play and Jeremy LeGarde hit a pair of free throws with :18 to play.
Riddle then took the ball to the hole, got his man in the air and was fouled shooting a jumper. He hit both free throws and Chambers took the final shot for ETBU, but Booker came from behind to block the shot and send the Cowboys to the semifnals.
HSU has won at least one game in all four of its trips to the ASC Tournament.
Riddle and Booker each had 18 points for the Cowboys and Jefferson had 16 points, eight rebounds and six steals. HSU played the game without the nation's third-leading scorer Matt Addison, who was ejected in the regular season finale. He will be back for the semifinals.
The Cowboys are now 17-9 on the year and will play crosstown rival McMurry in the semifinals at 2 p.m. on Saturday. You can hear the game on www.hsuathletics.com. McMurry beat Mississippi College 77-69 in the first game of the day.
East Texas Baptist, who finished its season with a record of 17-9, was led by Josh Chambers 21 points. Jeremy LaGarde added 15 for ETBU.
--- HSU ---