Box Score:
LONGVIEW, Texas – LeTourneau women's basketball suffered its first American Southwest Conference loss to No. 17 East Texas Baptist, 75-63, Saturday at home.
LETU (6-2, 3-1) trailed by three at the end first period, but
Keauna Whitfield nailed a pull up jumper and
Malacia Guy split a pair of free throws to knot the game at 18 to begin the second quarter. The Tigers of ETBU sparked an 11-4 run after Mallory Stephens converted a layup, taking a seven-point lead midway through the quarter. Whitfield dropped one to
Allaira Jones for two to cut the East Texas Baptist lead to five, but a quick 6-0 spurt by the Tigers extended the ETBU lead to 11, 35-24. Jones split a pair at the line to put the Jackets down nine at the end of the half.
This is only the second time this season the Jackets have trailed at the break. LETU shot 10-25, while the Tigers shot 15-31 in the first half.
Ajanae Thomas netted a three to start the second half, cutting the Tiger cushion to six, but ETBU's Hanna Hudson cashed in on a three of her own to move the lead back to nine. LETU scored on back-to-back possessions when
Kyndall Hardeman and Jones both netted jumpers from inside the paint, shortening the ETBU lead back to six. The Tigers scored on its own back-to-back possessions to bump the lead to 10, 46-36, forcing an LETU timeout. The YellowJackets pulled within five after
Ty Moon swished two free throws, but a 13-6 run by East Texas Baptist pitted LETU down 12 going into the final period.
It was all ETBU in the fourth, going on a 9-2 run to begin the quarter, stretching its lead to 19. After a made field goal by the Tigers, Whitfield and Guy both converted on triples to narrow the ETBU lead to 14 with under three minutes to play. The Jackets would fight hard but couldn't recover in the final minutes.
Inside the Numbers:
Whitfield led all scorers with 17 points to go along with eight rebounds and two assists.
Guy had a season-high 15 points with six boards, five assists, and two steals.
Jones finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and four blocks.
Jones' four blocks ties her career high.
Thomas had nine points and two steals, while Moon had six points and two rebounds.
LeTourneau was outrebounded for only the second time this season, 38-27.
ETBU had 41 bench points. LETU had six.
The Tigers had 42 points in the paint, while LETU had 22.
Up Next:
The YellowJackets continue ASC play as it travels to Mary Hardin-Baylor Saturday at 1 p.m.
