Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) Men's basketball received a first-round bye in the NAIA Tournament and faced Xavier University in the second round.
In the matchup that featured two powerhouses, neither team would concede anything on the defensive end, it was a grind it out game. Early in the first half it was back and forth, but an 9-0 run by Xavier put them ahead 25-16. Head Coach Delton Deal called a quick timeout to rally the Lions and his efforts paid off as the Lions went on their own 8-0 run late in the second quarter to take a 32-31 lead into halftime. The Lions jumped out to extend their lead in the second half, but Xavier put up a strong fight, and a lead change late in the game put Xavier up 57-55. In true late game fashion, the Lions were able to take the lead back with their effort on both ends and finish out the game as they've been doing all season. Clutch free throws by Nathan Bailey closed the game with a Lion victory 61-60.
Finishing out games has been a signature for this Lions team and will continue to help them in pursuit of a national championship.
Notable Performers
- Joshua Kashila (SR/ Euless, TX) led the Lions with 18 points and 5 rebounds
- Nathan Bailey(SR/ New Orleans, LA) added 18 points and 4 rebounds
- Joel Polius (SR/ Castries, St Lucia) brought in 8 points and 9 rebounds
- The Lions forced 19 turnovers
How it Happened
| Team |
1 |
2 |
T |
| Xavier |
31 |
29 |
60 |
| SAGU |
32 |
29 |
61 |
|
|
The Next Step
- The Lions will play Morningside University in the third round of the NAIA National Tournament Friday, March 19th. Start time is scheduled for 5:30pm
