RICHARDSON, Texas - In a tough defensive battle against Howard Payne University, the East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team defeated HPU 50-36 to advance to the second round of the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament. This not only marks the second time in three seasons ETBU has reached the semifinals. But it also marks the first time since the 2006-07 season that ETBU has won 20 games.

Only one player for either team reached double figures in scoring and that was Sydney Saxton, who finished with 12 points and dished out a team-leading six assists. Karley McHenry and Amanda Wilson were the closest to double-digits with nine and eight points respectively for ETBU while Erin Meeks was big on the rebounds leading with nine. Dominique Featherstone was the leading point scorer for HPU with nine points.

The biggest difference in the game came from the field-goal shooting as ETBU made 37.5% from the field while holding the Yellow Jackets to 19.4% from the field. ETBU also made 65.4% from the free throw line while never giving up the lead to HPU. In addition, ETBU also out-rebounded HPU 49-41 while winning the bench points battle with a 33-5 edge.

Kim Childress started the game with her first points (9:29) before HPU (8:29) tied it at two. But after Childress (7:45) gave ETBU a 4-2 lead, neither team would hit a field goal for the next six minutes. ETBU would get their five points on free throws from Saxton (6:00) and Wilson (2:44, 2:04) to lead 9-2. HPU would cut the lead to 9-5 on a three pointer (1:45), which would be the score after one.

The Tigers would start the second quarter with a 14-2 (10:00-7:00) run to lead 23-7. This included 11 straight points from a layup (9:53) and free throw (7:00) by Saxton, three's by McHenry (8:45, 8:22), and a jumper by Dree Roberson (7:44). After an HPU basket (6:47), Mallory Stephens (6:12) made it 23-7 with a three-pointer. HPU would finish the quarter with a 7-3 run with Stephens (1:45, 0:47) making the final there points for ETBU, who led 26-14 at the break.

ETBU would kick off the third quarter with an 8-2 run (10:00-3:56) to lead 34-16. Saxon score three (5:44, 3:56) points while Britney Jones (8:24) made a jumper and free throws by Meeks (5:20) and McHenry (4:50) scored in the run. UTD would get the lead to 34-24 (0:33) before Saxton delivered another pair of free throws (0:12) to lead 36-24 after three.

After HPU would cut the lead to nine on a three-pointer, ETBU answered with layups by Meeks (8:18) and McHenry (7:55) to lead 40-27. The next few minutes would see ETBU keep a double-digit lead while HPU would bring as close to nine (6:10) at 42-33. But Wilson stepped up and made five straight points to give ETBU a 47-33 lead with 2:44 to go. HPU would make one final three (1:28) before free throws from Saxton (1:11) and McCoy (0:38) would preserve ETBU's win.

ETBU will take on the winner of the University of Texas Dallas and Hardin-Simmons tomorrow night at 7:30 PM in the second round.