MARSHALL, Texas – Hardin-Simmons University and East Texas Baptist University women’s basketball teams advance to the American Southwest Conference Championship game after semifinal wins on Friday evening in Marshall.

Hardin-Simmons 63, Mary Hardin-Baylor 62 | Box Score

Mary Hardin-Baylor was first on the board with a layup from Remi Adeleke at the 7:47 mark. Hardin-Simmons took a three-point lead with a pair of baskets, but UMHB went on a 6-2 run to go ahead 16-13 in the final minutes. HSU’s Kynnan Shields hit a layup with eight seconds left to cut the gap to one. Josie Bruder opened the second quarter with five points to give UMHB a six-point lead. UMHB held a lead as large as eight through the second quarter, closing the half up 35-29.

The third played basket-for-basket, each team recording 19 points in the quarter. Hardin-Simmons opened the final quarter with a seven-point run to take a 55-54 lead. The Cru used a 6-2 run to take a 60-57 lead at the 2:34 mark.

Cowgirls’ Madison Williams sank a pair of foul shots at the 1:37 mark to make it a one-point game. Each side saw a foul shot with 15 seconds remaining. Josie Bruder added one more for the Cru before HSU’s Shields made a layup with nine seconds left to knot it up 62-62. The Cowgirls’ Jacqueline Berry made a free throw with four seconds on the clock to give HSU the 63-62 win.

Bruder led the contest with 21 points while Hardin-Simmons’ Berry and Shields each had a double-double. Shields totaled 14 points and 11 rebound and Berry totaled 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Cru’s Jaycie Brisco led in assists with five.

East Texas Baptist 79, LeTourneau 56 | Box Score

East Texas Baptist jumped to a 5-0 lead to start the game. The Tigers allowed just four points in the first quarter, closing the frame ahead 19-6. LeTourneau cut the gap to 10 at the beginning of the second quarter with a pair of scores from Sara Savage and Makenzie Covey. ETBU responded with a 15-1 run to go ahead 36-12 at the 4:41 mark. LeTourneau added seven more points in the half, closing it 45-19.

ETBU opened the third quarter with a 10-5 run. LeTourneau hit a trio of three-pointers in the final four minutes of the quarter, closing the third 61-35. The final quarter played even with the Tigers adding 21 points and the YellowJackets totaled 18. Covey led LeTourneau with six points while Macey Jones led the Tigers with four in the quarter. The Tigers cruised to a 79-56 victory.

Payton Hicks led the contest with 13 points for ETBU while Madison Hurta totaled 10 points. Hannah Ayala led with 12 rebounds for the Tigers. Sallie Moser led the YellowJackets with nine points while Kylie Weeks and Makenzie Covey totaled eight.

No. 1 East Texas Baptist and No. 3 Hardin-Simmons will face in the ASC Championship on Saturday, March 1^st at 6:00 p.m. in Marshall.
.