BELTON, Texas – Taking on another top regional opponent in back-to-back days, #2 East Texas Baptist University fell short in the final minute of the game to Rhodes College, 88-82. Rhodes is receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Preseason Poll. ETBU is now 1-1 on the season.
The loss breaks a milestone record ETBU had set in the regular season for wins dating back to the 2019-20 season with 27 straight regular season wins. They won the final three regular season games in 2019-20, went 23-0 last year, and opened this year with a win over Trinity University. ETBU is now 26-2 under Blake Arbogast and won 94 games since the beginning of the 2017-28 season.
Three players were in double figures as Bridget Upton shot 8-of-18 from the floor with five three-pointers made for 22 points. Grace Stephens added 16 points with three three-pointers made and Jade Goynes finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. Emma Stelzer had eight rebounds. Rhodes had two players with 20 points in Catherine Althoff (23) and Ellen Hagen (21).
Rhodes shot 47% from the floor to ETBU's 33% (30-of-91) and held the Tigers to just 35% (12-of-34) from the three-point line. A big difference in the game came at that the free throw line as ETBU made just 50% of their shots taking 20 and making 10 while Rhodes received 46 free throws making 39 for 84%. ETBU did out rebound Rhodes, 50-45.
It came down to the fourth quarter as ETBU entered with a three-point lead, 59-56. Rhodes tied the game at 61 at the 9:21 mark but with 7:16 left in the game ETBU went up 66-61. Grace Stephens hit a three-pointer and Upton added a jump shot for the lead. By the five minute mark, Rhodes came back with a 10-2 run for a three-point lead, 71-68. Grace Stephens responded with a 5-0 run in the next minute to put ETBU back up, 73-71, with 3:59 left. Hanna Hudson then kept ETBU's lead at three with 2:41 to go with a free throw, 75-72. She then nailed a three-pointer with 2:11 left to maintain the three-point lead, 78-75. Rhodes answered with a 5-0 run for the lead, again, 80-78, with 1:38 left. Taylor Singleton swooshed a three-pointer to give the Tigers a one-point lead, 81-80, as 1:19 remained. That was the last bucket made by ETBU as Rhodes went 8-for-8 in that last minute in free throws. ETBU missed five shots in the final minute making one free throw as they fell, 88-82.
ETBU will head to Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 19-20 for two games in the Emory Tournament facing Emory University and Ferrum College. Emory is also receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Preseason Poll.