Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | February 25, 2026 – The road to a Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) championship officially runs through Waxahachie and on Wednesday afternoon inside Abe Lemons Arena, the No. 5 Nelson University Lions showed exactly why.

In a back-and-forth battle that featured 10 lead changes and relentless physicality, the top-seeded Lions edged No. 8 seed University of Science and Arts (USAO) 88–87 in a quarterfinal classic to punch their ticket to the SAC Semifinals.

The game was deadlocked at 45–45 at halftime before Nelson outlasted the Drovers 43–42 over the final 20 minutes to secure the one-point victory.

USAO came out swinging, attacking the paint and crashing the glass with force. The Drovers finished with 57 total rebounds and 42 points in the paint, leaning heavily on Jamouri McCalister's 28-point, 13-rebound performance.

But Nelson never blinked. The Lions answered with balance, toughness, and timely scoring. Trelin Green sparked the offense with 22 points and five assists, attacking downhill and creating chaos in transition. Jesse Iweze added 19 points and nine rebounds, living at the free throw line and finishing through contact. Brionne Williams chipped in 11 points, while Ozavian Buford delivered 10 crucial points, including three triples that kept momentum in Nelson's favor 

Micah Clark, despite a gritty shooting night, stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds doing the dirty work when it mattered most 

This wasn't a highlight-reel blowout. It was a postseason rock fight.

USAO shot 33 free throws and controlled long stretches with physicality, but Nelson's depth made the difference. The Lions' bench outscored the Drovers 16–3, and defensively they forced 13 turnovers while coming up with key stops down the stretch.

When the final horn sounded, the Lions had survived. Survive and Advance

And even the final seconds had drama. With just 0.3 seconds remaining and Nelson clinging to a one-point lead, USAO launched a desperation full-court heave that appeared to drop through the net as the horn sounded. The arena held its breath. Officials immediately went to review. After a tense pause, the shot was ruled no good, preserving the 88–87 Lions victory.

Next Up
The Lions return to Abe Lemons Arena on Friday at Noon for the SAC Semifinals, with a trip to the championship game on the line.

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.