MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – In the semifinals of the Sun Conference Championship Tournament Presented by Don Shula's Hotel and Golf Club, #1 seed St. Thomas (22-7) was upset by #5 seed Southeastern (20-9) 85-76 on Monday night at the Fernandez Family Center.

St. Thomas was led by Darwin Trotman who scored 14 points and registered six assists.  Also scoring in double figures for the Bobcats was Mikon Hewitt (12 points), Fotios Malelis (10 pts) and Khalil Williams (10 pts).  Williams led STU on the glass with nine rebounds.

The two teams played evenly in the first half and traded the lead for much of the second half in a game that featured 16 lead changes.  Trailing by eight points with 1:22 to play, four straight points by Trotman on two free throws and a layup cut the deficit to four points with 55 seconds to play.  SEU however would hit five free throws down the stretch to earn the trip to the tournament finals.

At the intermission, the Bobcats led 37-35, but were outscored 50-39 in the second half by the Fire which proved the difference.  It marked just the second loss for the Bobcats in the last 16 games.

By winning the regular season conference championship, the Bobcats had already clinched a berth to the NAIA Division II National Championships.  STU will begin preparations for the national tournament which begins March 7 in Sioux Falls, S.D.