BELTON, Texas – Tied at 53 with 9:12 to go in the game, East Texas Baptist University went on an 12-2 run and never looked back as they won the 2023 American Southwest Conference Tournament Championship over Hardin-Simmons University, 72-64. It is the second ASC Tournament Championship won by ETBU with their first one coming in 2015. ETBU is now 23-5 on the year and receives the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

"I'm overwhelmed right now," said head coach Chris Lovell. "I love my guys and we set high goals at the beginning of the year and these guys have worked so hard and for them to hold that trophy up and cut that net down together is what we had set out to do this year."

The 12-2 run by ETBU over two minutes game them a 10-point lead, 65-55, on a Darry Moore dunk. HSU did cut the lead down to four, 66-62, with 1:53 to go but the lead was back to 10, 72-62, with 26 seconds left on an Aaron Gregg free throw on a 6-0 run. HSU made one more shot to make it an eight-point game as ETBU recorded their second ASC Tournament Championship in program history.

Moore was named the ASC Tournament MVP as he finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds shooting 10-of-19 from the floor. Jayden Williams came off the bench to add 16 points making four three-pointers. Ryan Elzy then finished with 10 points. HSU's Jason Justice and Calaway Dykes both had 16 points. Also making the ASC All-Tournament team were Aaron Gregg and Kevin Charles.  

ETBU's defense stopped HSU in the second half holding them to just one three-pointer made (25 percent) after they shot 62 percent (5-of-8) in the first half. HSU also shot just 42 percent overall while ETBU made 46 percent from the floor and shot 42 percent (3-of-7) from the arc in the second half. The defense also forced 15 turnovers recording 11 steals and four blocked shots.

HSU's largest lead in the first half was eight-points, 30-22, with 7:42 to go. ETBU answered with a 12-0 run over six minutes for a four-point lead, 34-30. Kurt Labeaud stole the at 1:54 ending on a Moore fast break dunk for a two-point lead, 32-30. Elzy then stole the ball 14 seconds later for a fast-break layup and four-point advantage. ETBU didn't score in the final minute and half HSU responded with a 5-0 run hitting a three-pointer with 11 seconds left for a one-point halftime lead, 35-34.

There were four ties in 11 minutes of the second half with the final one at 53. That's when ETBU went on their run 12-2 for a 65-55 lead. A key moment in the final two minutes came when Williams canned a long three-pointer with 1:24 left right after HSU had cut the lead to four, 66-62. That three-pointer gave ETBU a seven-point lead and then 11 seconds later Williams made both free throws for a nine-point lead, 71-62. HSU missed three shots in the final minute before their last make with 15 seconds left as ETBU ran out the time for the championship, 72-64.

ETBU will now wait and see where they will be heading in the NCAA Division III Tournament. They were ranked fifth in the region coming into the tournament on the bubble to get in but by winning the championship they receive the automatic bid.