MARSHALL, Texas – Pulling together their team concept in the second half and sticking together, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team (25-5) continued their magical season advancing to the Sweet 16 with an 80-75 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (22-7). It was the 22nd straight win for ETBU in Ornelas Gym as they finish the year at home a perfect 18-0. ETBU moves on to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III National Tournament Sweet 16.
"You have to talk about how good Claremont-MS is," says head coach Bert West. "They are a very impressive team and they were just what we thought they were in big, smart, and run a great offense. We did not make any adjustments at halftime our kids just went harder, and harder, and harder and they fought back to get control of the ball game."
Four players scored in double figures as Junior Mitchell had 16 points on 60 percent shooting from the floor (6-of-10). Justin Felicia and Bret Akins (4-of-5 from floor) added 12 points and Jamil Samuel gave 10 points (4-of-5 from the floor). Chad Herring led the team with nine rebounds and was 4-of-4 from the free throw line. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps had four players in double figures as Jason Harrington had 18 points.
After Claremont-Mudd-Scripps shot lights out in the first half, making 64 percent from the floor and 54 percent from the arc, ETBU was down eight, 45-37, entering the locker room. It was a gritty defensive performance in the second half propelling ETBU to the win. ETBU only allowed 30 points and 31 percent shooting from the floor to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps while holding them to 23 percent from the three-point line.
ETBU slowly took away Claremont-Mudd-Scripps lead bringing it down to two, 46-44, on a 7-1 run to start the first four minutes of the second half. Mitchell converted a three-point play at the 16:03 mark to put ETBU back within reach of the lead. Within a minute the game was tied at 49 on two Herring free throws and two minutes later at the 13:06 mark Claremont-Mudd-Scripps put the lead at four, 53-49. A Tyler Day three-pointer cut the lead to one but Claremont-Mudd-Scripps answered right back with a fast break lay up at the 12:17 mark for a three-point lead, 55-52.
Felicia made the crowd roar hitting a three-pointer to tie the game at 55 with 9:52 remaining with another tie at 57 at the 8:29 mark on an Ahnre Gray lay up. In a minute and half, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps recaptured the lead to five, 62-57, as they thought momentum was shifting their way. It actually went the opposite for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps as ETBU went on a 17-3 run over the next six minutes taking command of the game, 74-65.
Mitchell started the run with five straight points in less than a minute to tie the game at 62 at the 6:14 mark. Atkins canned banked in a key lay up after a strong offensive rebound for a two-point lead, 64-62, with 5:12 remaining. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps then hit their last bucket for the next four minutes for the one-point lead, 65-64. At the 4:06 mark, Samuel put ETBU ahead for good, 66-65, on a jump shot as ETBU's defense held Claremont-Mudd-Scripps to no baskets until there was 46 seconds left in the game. Herring, Atkins, and Dylan Augustine all scored in the run for ETBU. Augustine made one-of-two free throws with 1:14 left for a nine-point lead, 74-65.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps didn't put down their fighting gloves as they continued to chip away at ETBU's lead in the final 46 seconds. With 16 seconds left, the Staggs were within three, 78-75, and missed a three-pointer with 10 seconds left that would have tied the game. Augustine was fouled with five seconds left as he canned both shots for the five-point win.
In the first half, ETBU took a quick 4-0 lead but Claremont-Mudd-Scripps answered with a 12-2 run and a six-point lead, 12-6. They would keep the lead the entire first half after that run taking a nine-point lead, 43-34, with 1:31 left in the half. Felicia swooshed in a three-pointer at the 1:02 mark bringing it back down to six, 43-37, before being down 45-37 at the half.
Overall Claremont-Mudd-Scripps finished shooting 46 percent from the floor, 34 percent from the arc, and 85 percent from the line. ETBU shot 46 percent from the floor, 47 percent from the three-point line, and 59 percent from the foul line. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won the rebounding battle, 34-32, and the turnover marging, 15-14.
ETBU will face Northwestern Unviersiity-St. Paul in the Sweet 16 next week and will find out Sunday afternoon where and when they will play.