KATY, Texas. – Stephen F. Austin had the final surge in a second half full of runs in the Southland Conference Tournament championship game against Southeastern Louisiana Saturday night in the Merrell Center.
The Lumberjacks finished the game on a 16-6 run to edge the Lions 59-55 and advance to the NCAA Tournament.
Southeastern (22-11), which was looking for its second Southland title in school history, will play in the National Invitation Tournament next week. The Lions will learn their opponent and site Sunday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
Senior guard
Joshua Filmore had a game-high 14 points for Southeastern, which had a nine-game winning streak snapped. Junior guard
Marlain Veal, who was named to the All-Tournament team, finished with 12 points to go with team highs of six rebounds and five assists. Junior forward
Moses Greenwood and senior forward
Jordan Capps each had eight points.
Senior guard
Eddy Polanco joined Veal in the All-Tournament team.
SFA's TJ Holyfield was named the tournament's MVP after recording a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Ivan Canete added 10 points. Shannon Bogues also made the All-Tournament team for the Lumberjacks (27-6).
Southeastern used a 22-2 run to rally from a 14-point second-half deficit. Filmore knocked down a 3 from the top of the key to give the Lions a 49-43 lead at the 5:45 mark.
SFA answered with a 6-0 run to tie the game as John Comeaux scored off a steal by Ty Charles with 3:51 left. After Veal put the Lions back up with two free throws with 3:30 left, Kevon Harris hit a 3 from the left corner. Comeaux added a free throw and Harris found Holyfield inside to give the Lumberjacks a 55-51 lead with 1:08 remaining.
Veal hit two more free throws with 54 seconds left. Canete then missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but raced in to put back the rebound for a 57-53 lead with 42 seconds left. Capps drove in to make it a two-point game with 29 seconds left but Charles countered with two free throws with 20 seconds remaining. Polanco missed on a pair of jumpers in the final seconds.
SFA led 32-25 at the half and took its biggest lead at 41-27 on a 3 by Harris with 16:36 left. The Lumberjacks had a chance to extend the lead but Southeastern got a stop and answered with a Capps layup and Charleston 3. After a Holyfield putback pushed the lead back to nine, the Lions went on an 8-0 run to take a 44-43 lead as Polanco slipped a pass to Greenwood inside at the 9:02 mark.
Southeastern took a 13-8 lead on a 3 by junior guard
Keith Charleston with 13:08 left in the first half. SFA came back with a 9-0 run to go up 20-15 on a 3 by Comeaux with 9:10 remaining. A jumper by Bogues gave the Lumberjacks their biggest lead of the half at 32-21 with 1:12 left. But Veal found Capps inside and Polanco drove the lane to pull the Lions to within seven at the break.
NOTES
Southeastern held SFA scoreless for 8:21 in the second half.
Southeastern set the school record for points in a season. The Lions currently have 2,394 points through 33 games.
Sam Houston State's Josh Delaney closed out the All-Tournament team.
QUOTES
Southeastern head coach Jay Ladner:
"First of all, I want to congratulate Stephen F. Austin. I thought defensively they took us out of a lot of things we do on offense. I thought we made a valiant comeback and we went up six and they punched right back. We had a couple of turnovers after we went up six and they converted on those. We missed a critical rebound on a free throw down there at the end. I really thought there was a stretch in the first half after we got off to a good start, we turned the basketball over a few times and they converted easy baskets. I thought defensively to 59 points and generally that's an opportunity to win. Again, you have to give Stephen F. Austin credit. They made some big plays and some tough shots at critical time and they deserved to win tonight. It's disappointing. I thought our guys played hard. I'm very proud of them. We had won nine in a row up to this point. We'll regroup and get ready to play in the NIT."
