The Lady Jackets punched their ticket to the American Southwest Conference Championship with a 60-58 victory over East Texas Baptist in the ASC Tournament semifinals in Abilene. Howard Payne's balanced attack and clutch free-throw shooting in the final moments propelled them into Saturday's title game against Hardin-Simmons at 2 p.m.

Howard Payne and East Texas Baptist battled through four lead changes and seven ties, with neither team able to build a decisive advantage for long. The Lady Jackets held a slim 22-20 edge at the half before ETBU closed the third quarter on a run to take a 39-37 lead entering the fourth.

Hope Hermesmeyer led the way offensively for Howard Payne, finishing with a team-high 16 points while shooting 7-of-11 from the field and knocking down key shots in crucial moments. Caitlyn Panuco was equally impactful, putting together a 15-point night that included going 8-for-10 from the free-throw line, a stretch that ultimately provided the winning edge. Azaylee Santos gave the Lady Jackets an efficient spark, making all of her field-goal attempts and contributing six points with 2-for-2 shooting from deep.

Caitlyn Parsons controlled the glass and facilitated the offense, chipping in nine points and a team-high 11 rebounds, while Amaris Ambriz added nine points, including vital three-point shooting to help extend leads late. Free throws down the stretch by Panuco gave the Jackets a two-point lead with seconds left, and Parsons sealed the victory with a steal in the closing moments.

"I'm really proud of our group today," said head coach Rodney Gee. "Tournament basketball is about toughness and composure, and I thought our girls showed both. We didn't panic when they made runs. We stayed connected defensively, trusted each other on the offensive end, and stepped up at the free-throw line when it mattered most."

With the semifinal victory, Howard Payne advances to the ASC Championship game against tournament host Hardin-Simmons on Saturday at 2 p.m.