MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (February 21, 2024) - For the first time in six years, and for the third time in program history, the St. Thomas University (STU) Men's Basketball team sits atop of the Sun Conference. A nine-game win streak and 11-3 second half prevailed the Bobcats from an 0-2 start to a regular season title. This marks the first regular season title in the conference for Head Coach Patrick Crarey II. The night was also spent celebrating the 2024 senior class of Milton Matthews, Jordan Hernandez, Kyle Feldman, Bryant Tallie, and graduate assistant Keith DeJesus.

St. Thomas (20-6, 10-3 SUN) was selected to win the conference as voted among the leagues head coaches. Coach Crarey brought that prediction made on October 17, 2023 to life in front of the packed home crowd in the Fernandez Family Center Gym on Wednesday evening against second-place Keiser (1818, 8-5 SUN). The Bobcats had a lead as large as 24 and led for 93-percent of the game on their way to a 73-58 victory.

"Starting 0-2 we knew it was us versus us", stated  Coach Crarey. "I'm so proud of this group to clinch an out right title in one of the most competitive years in recent Sun Conference history. Administrations win championships and I thank President Armstrong and Bill Rychel for all of their support. Our players deserve all the credit, they have been so resilient this season and have worked for this moment."

Josh Taylor got another game started with the first points on the board. In a bit of slow start on both ends, the momentum shifted on the side of the Bobcats with another mid-range jumper from Taylor and an alley-oop slam from the Cearius Warren and Anthony Harris link up in a 30-second span with 12 to go in the first half. 

St. Thomas went on an 11-3 run to gain a seven-point led closing in on the final six minutes of the first half. The half ended on a 15-6 run that had STU up by 11 at the break. The Bobcats shot 48.4-percent from the field while also winning the game on the boards at 18-15. Play was solid all around as the defense had five steals, while lead to 14-points off turnovers.

The second half opened with STU keeping the gas of the pedal hitting back to back three from Milton Matthews and Harris to force an early Keiser timeout two minutes in. Keiser did not go away easily with an 11-0 run of their own cutting the Bobcat lead to 13 before Matthews sunk a three to cut into the momentum. That sparked three-straight buckets for STU as they regained their lead back up to 20.

The Seahawks continued to battle retaliating with a 10-0 run of their own to cut the deficit in half with 3:22 remaining. A 9-4 run to end it with seven of the points coming from the charity stripe sealed the game and clinched the trophy for the Bobcats.

St. Thomas shot 52.8-percent from the field making it the ninth time this season they shot beyond 50. The Bobcats out-rebounded the Seahawks 37-35, while spreading the love on offense more with 18-6 assists. Both teams had seven steals, while STU had the edge in blocks at 5-4. The big men got it done down low with more points in the paint at 26-20; and took advantage of turnovers with 21-14 points off of them.

Matthews, Taylor and Harris led the charge with 23, 20, and 16 points, respectively. Matthews went .500 behind the arc at 6-12. Taylor continues to be a mid-range machine going 10-15 from the field for 67-percent. Harris is a great sixth-man coming off the bench and impacting immediately. The junior went .500/.667/.800 in 35 minutes and recorded a double-double with 10 assists. This is his first double-double of the season and Bobcat-career high in assists.

Up Next

St. Thomas will conclude the regular season on the road at Webber International on Saturday, February 24, tip is set for 4 p.m. With the claiming of the regular season title, STU has now earned hosting rights at the Fernandez Family Center and the overall one-seed for the final four of the conference tournament. The tournament will have two semifinal match ups on Friday, March 1st and the championship will then be Saturday, March 2nd. The Bobcats earn a first round bye of the quarterfinals. 

-STU-