MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (February 21, 2023)- The St. Thomas University (STU) Men's Basketball completed the comeback in the Sun Conference Quarterfinals, and defeated the Warner Royals in thrilling fashion inside the Fernandez Family Center.
Game Recap
The Bobcats got off to a quick start, with
Fred Mulbah and
Milton Matthews making back to back contested layups. Two minutes later
Dalon Dean hit his first three of the night to really get STU off and running.
Justyn Rogers forced the Royals to call an early timeout after the Bobcats took a seven-point lead. Warner got a good talking to in the timeout, and came back and went on to take a one-point lead in one minute.
The Royals went on to take control of the game and it looked like the Bobcats were just a step behind. After going down seven,
Fred Mulbah said enough driving to the net and making one of his signature jumpers in the paint. Coach Crarey would then call a timeout to recoup his squad. After the Bobcat timeout,
D'Andre Johnson drilled a wide open three making it a two-point game. A short time later
D'Andre Johnson worked his way to the line and it was tied at twenty-two.
Not going away however, the Royals hit one from behind the arch gaining some momentum back.
Milton Matthews answered it right away with a three of his own and it was all knotted up once again. Despite the back and forth, the Bobcats went on a cold streak and Warner took a fourteen-point lead.
Milton Matthews, and
Jordan Hernandez drained back to back threes to keep the Bobcats in the game, but STU was still down by double digits. Nearing the end of the first half,
D'Andre Johnson was able to get the put back to head into the locker room down eight.
The Bobcats came out of the locker room for the second half rejuvenated, as
D'Andre Johnson drilled yet another from behind the three-point line. STU was on a mission in the second half, and so was
D'Andre Johnson. Johnson worked his way to the line making both, and when the Royals got the ball back, Johnson blocked it on the defensive side and went down and scored to make it a one-point game.
Warner on the other hand would just not give up. They once again went on a scoring spree, making it a seven-point game. You never want to count this Crarey team out, but this was looking tough.
Joshua Thrower started to make an impact, and made a contested lay in, and
Jordan Hernandez made it a one-point game yet again drilling a three.
Fred Mulbah gave the Bobcats the three-point lead with another jumper followed by a layup going right around the Royal defenders.
With seven minutes remaining both teams were going back and forth, nobody wanting to give an inch. Warner went on to take a two-point lead, but
Joshua Thrower tied it up by working his way inside the paint and putting it off the glass. The remainder of the game was very tight, with the Bobcat faithful coming alive making it hard to hear. With one and a half minutes remaining, the Royals tied it up.
Dalon Dean on the other hand showed why he broke the STU three-point record, as he shimmied off his defender and draining the step back three to take the lead. With forty-four seconds on the clock Warner got to within one, and with the ball in the Royals hands with eleven seconds left,
Jordan Hernandez stole the ball which would give the Bobcats the ball. Having to foul, Warner chose
Milton Matthews, and Matthews hit both at the line and the Bobcats got the win 77-74.
Box Score Notables
Up Next
The Bobcats will travel to Lakeland, Fla. Friday February 24
thand face the #2 seed Thomas University Nighthawks in the Sun Conference Semi Finals.
-STU-
