CONWAY, Ark. (Nov. 15) -- Hendrix College's 20-point deficit with 11:17 remaining in regulation was the tipping point for the Warriors as they flipped the switch and closed the game on a 37-6 run to earn a thrilling 70-61 victory over East Texas Baptist University in the season-opener on Monday evening at Grove Gymnasium.
Hendrix scratched and clawed its way back into the game and finally earned a lead it would not relinquish after hitting 5-of-6 shots from behind the arc inside a 7:09 span (9:41-2:32). The Warriors ended that stretch with back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers to go up 60-59.
Hendrix picked up the intensity and started driving the lane, therefore, earning trips to the charity stripe and plaguing ETBU with late foul trouble. The Tigers' top-two leading scorers, sophomore guard Brandace Latin (18 points) and senior guard Ashley Featherston (14 points) both fouled out with just over two minutes to go. The Warriors made their trips to the free throw line count with 14-of-15 shooting in the last 11 minutes.
Hendrix first year forward Jamie Tate (pictured) pounded the glass and played a big part in bringing her team back into the game. She finished with a double-double in her first collegiate contest (11 points and 12 rebounds) and pulled down six defensive boards and two offensive boards during the come-back stretch.
Senior forward Christina Byler found her shot late in the game and finished with a team-best 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the free throw line and 3-of-8 from long range. Junior guards Anna Roane and Jordan Henderson added 14 points and 10 points, respectively. Roane and junior guard Samantha Devlin dished out five assists apiece, while junior guard Katy Ashley-Pauley tallied eight points and made a team-high six assists.
ETBU opened the game on a 14-3 run and would eventually take a 30-25 lead into the locker room. The Tigers scored 18 points off the Warriors' 16 first-half turnovers. Hendrix was ice cold from the field in the first 20 minutes with just 6-of-27 shooting from the field. The Warriors shot 44 percent in the second half, including 60 percent from behind the arc.
Hendrix first year coach Emily Cummins picks up the win in her first collegiate game at the helm and improves her team to 1-0, while ETBU falls to 0-1 in its season-opener.
Hendrix will hit the road over the weekend as the team competes in the Greenville College Tip-Off Classic in Greenville, Ill. The Warriors face the host school on Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. CT and then take on Westminster College on Nov. 20 at 11 a.m.
For more information on Hendrix Athletics please visit www.hendrix.edu/Athletics/ or contact Brian Rejer, Sports Information Director, at (501) 450-1426. Also, be sure to follow the Warriors on Twitter by checking out @Warrior_SID.
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