LAKELAND, Fla. (February 29, 2020) - (RV) St. Thomas University (22-6) lost heartbreakingly, in overtime, against No. 17 Southeastern University (23-8) in the Sun Conference Championship, 78-73, on Saturday night from "the Furnace" on the campus of Southeastern University. 

STU has gone over a decade without winning a Sun Conference Tournament Championship in Men's Basketball, last winning in 2008-09. 

Bobcat Starters
Daejour Adderley (Guard)
Justin Brown (Guard)
Ahmad Gilbert (Forward)
Quinterious Jones (Forward)
Jahsim Floyd (Center)

Game Notes

• Jones began the game, as he usually does, controlling the early offensive output for STU and scoring 4-of-6 points. 
• A dunk from Floyd and a three-pointer from Gilbert, extended the St. Thomas lead to 11-5, in the first five minutes of the Sun Conference title.
• Brown netted a lay-up, providing STU with their largest lead of the game, 17-8.
• A 14-0 run by the Fire swung momentum, as the Bobcats did not score for five minutes of game-time.
• Antoine Joe recorded a three-pointer, halting the Southeastern run and bringing the Bobcats within two, 22-20.
• SEU scored four consecutive points, before Gilbert notched a lay-up, making the score 26-22, with less than five minutes remaining in the game.
• The Fire closed the first half on a 6-2 run, heading into the break leading 34-25.
• Brown was a man on a mission to begin the second half, scoring the first five STU points, and bringing the Bobcats within four, 34-30.
• St. Thomas continued their run to reclaim the lead in the second half, as Gilbert and Brown scored back-to-back buckets in the paint and gave STU a 35-34 lead.
• SEU scored 9-of-11 points, following the 10-0 run by the Bobcats, putting themselves ahead, 45-39.
• Brown scored seven consecutive points for St. Thomas, as STU continued to claw back into the game, trailing 51-46.
• Adderley brought the Bobcats back to even, almost single-handedly, scoring 6-of-8 points, tying the game 54-54.
• Brown recorded four straight points for STU, giving the Bobcats a 58-56 advantage with less than six minutes to go in the championship game.
• Five consecutive points from Floyd continued the back-and-forth drama of the final moments, as St. Thomas led, 65-60.
• In the last minute of regulation, Adderley was looked upon to seal the win from the charity stripe.
• The senior made 3-of-4 free throws, putting the score at 68-66 with ten seconds left.
• First-Team Sun Conference member, Jeremy Oppenheimer, rushed down the court and tied the game with a lay-up for the Fire.
• At the buzzer, Tyrik Waite narrowly missed a Sun Conference Championship clinching three-pointer, as the ball clanked off the back-iron, sending the game into overtime.
• In the overtime period, Oppenheimer sealed the game with a three-pointer, putting SEU ahead 78-71 with less than ten seconds on the clock.
• Adderley scored two more points, but STU fell 78-73.

Upcoming
St. Thomas now awaits the decision of the Selection Committee on Wednesday, March 4, to determine whether or not the Bobcats will advance to the NAIA National Tournament for the ninth time in program history. The selection show can be watched here