MARSHALL, Texas – Outscoring Howard Payne University 49-22 in the second half, the #12/14 East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team ran off an 81-49 victory over the Yellow Jackets on Monday night at Ornelas Gym. The Tigers are on a three-game winning streak posting a 9-1 overall record and are 3-1 in American Southwest Conference East Division play.
Kendrick Clark led the way with 18 points on seven-of-11 shooting and five steals while Kayla Bise made five three-pointers in the first half to finish with 15 points. Kim Childress came off the bench to tack on nine points and six rebounds along with Sydney Saxton posting six rebounds and six assists. Valerie Matlock finished with four assists. Meanwhile, HPU's top scorer was Payge Grable, who finished with 15 points while Julissa Ibarra (11 points) and Caprica Brooks (10 points) finished scoring in double-digits.
ETBU controlled all offensive categories by making 50.8% from the field, 41.4% from the three-point line, and 62.5% from the free throw line while HPU finished making 35.3% from the field and 33.3% from the three-point line. ETBU also used 34 points in the paint, 20 points off turnovers, 47 bench points, 22 fast break points, and 15 second chance points.
After a three by HPU (9:26) started the game, ETBU ran off seven straight points (8:44-6:01) with Clark scoring five in the stretch. HPU would answer with five straight to lead 8-7 (3:51) before a three from Bise (3:10) gave ETBU the lead for good. This set in motion an 11-4 run (1:39-0:00) which was keyed from three more treys from Bise (1:13, 0:55, 0:09) while Childress (1:39) added the other two points as the Tigers grabbed a 21-12 lead through one quarter.
Momentum carried into the second quarter with the Tigers scoring eight unanswered points (10:00-8:34) with Clark tallying six of the points while Matlock (9:29) picked up her first basket of the game, which extended the lead to 29-12. Six unanswered points by the Yellow Jackets brought the lead down to nine at 29-20 (6:12). When Clark tallied a layup with five minutes to go to lead 34-23, the Tigers never again saw the lead down to single digits. Childress would also come up with five of the final eight points (4:46, 3:13, 2:15) as the Tigers would grab a 42-27 lead entering halftime.
It would be the third quarter that saw ETBU hold the Yellow Jackets to six points. Amanda Wilson would get on the scoreboard with four straight points (10:00-9:01) with Matlock (8:43) Clark (7:55), and Anna Moss (6:40) completing the 10-0 run before HPU got on the board with four unanswered (6:23-5:03) to trail 52-31. ETBU managed to get eight points from Saxton (4:03), Marissa Warren (2:58, 0:53) and Tatyana Lacey (0:24) as they entered the fourth quarter up by twenty-seven at 60-33.
The Tigers would start the final quarter scoring 10 of the first 12 points (10:00-6:22) as Lacey would obtain a thirty-point lead (9:06). This was followed with free throws from Matlock (8:06), an April Matthews' layup, and a three from Paige Royal (6:22) to push the lead to 70-35. ETBU would then reach their largest lead of the game to 36 (74-38) when Childress collected her ninth point (5:15). Twice more did ETBU obtain this lead before HPU would shrink the lead to as close as 32 three times with the final score being 81-49.
ETBU will have their final 2018 home game as they host rival LeTourneau University at 5:30 PM on Thursday night at Ornelas Gym.