McPherson, Kansas | February 19, 2026 – Championship teams don't blink. Championship players don't hesitate. On Thursday night inside Jerry Alexander Arena, the No. 6 Nelson University Lions stared down a halftime deficit, absorbed every punch Central Christian threw, and delivered the final blow, an ice-cold, heavy-contested fadeaway three in the corner from Micah Clark that sealed an 85–82 road win and secured the program's second consecutive SAC Regular Season Championship.

With the victory, Nelson improves to 23-4 overall and 18-3 in conference play.

Central Christian came out aggressive, shooting 52.9% in the first half and building a 48–38 advantage at the break. The Tigers controlled tempo early, forcing Nelson into a back-and-forth scoring battle.

But the Lions never flinched.

Nelson flipped the script after halftime, exploding for 47 second-half points while shooting a blistering 56.3% from the field. The defensive pressure tightened, the ball began to move, and the championship DNA surfaced.

And then there was Micah.

Micah Clark poured in 31 total points including 24 in the second half carrying the Lions possession after possession when it mattered most. He attacked the rim, rose confidently from deep (4-of-10 from three), and lived at the line, finishing 5-of-6 from the stripe.

But the moment belonged to the final seconds.

With the game hanging in the balance, Clark drifted to the corner, elevated over a defender, and knocked down a fadeaway three that silenced the arena. A dagger. 

While Clark closed the show, the Lions received critical contributions across the lineup:

• Brionne Williams added 13 points off efficient shooting (5-of-9) 

• JJ Boling knocked down three triples and finished with 9 points and 4 assists 

• Jesse Iweze delivered 8 points and 8 rebounds 

• Trelin Green orchestrated the offense with 6 assists 

Nelson shot 51.6% from the field and an impressive 92.3% from the free-throw line, while outscoring Central Christian 47–34 in the second half.

The Lions also capitalized on mistakes, scoring 22 points off turnovers.

Next Up
The Lions close out conference play on Saturday, February 21 at 4:00 PM on the road against Langston University in their final SAC matchup of the regular season. One more test. 

Nelson University (formerly SA GU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.