SHERMAN, Texas – With an 85-78 victory over the University of Dallas for the 'Roos and a loss for Schreiner against Trinity today, the Austin College men's basketball team has earned the sixth and final seed in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament next weekend in Shreveport. The 'Roos are now 14-10 overall and 4-10 in conference play.
The 'Roos got out to a quick 4-0 start and pushed the lead to 13-6 on an Alan Sullivan three-point-play with 12:38 left in the opening half. Four straight from Josh Dickerman helped the 'Roos extend the margin to 19-10, and after Dallas cut it to a 21-14 game, a free throw from Cedric Hudson and a jumper from Stephen Igbinosa gave the 'Roos their first double-digit lead of the game at 24-14 with 7:55 left on the clock.
Austin College pushed the lead to 14 late in the first half at 34-20 on a free throw by Hudson, but Dallas would score the final four points of the period to make it a 34-24 game at the half.
Dallas cut it to a 39-32 game early in the second half, and after Austin College got the margin back to nine, the Crusaders got a three from Michael Sarrat to help pull them back to within five at 43-38 with 14:30 left in the game. Austin College got the lead back to eight several times over the next five minutes of action, and a three from Sullivan pushed it to a 62-51 lead with 7:41 to play.
The 'Roos answered each time the Crusaders started making a dent in the lead, with Dickerman knocking down a trey to keep the lead to double-figures at 65-55, and the margin was still 10 on a pair of Sullivan free throws to make it 70-60 with 4:14 left in the game. However, Dallas would not go away quietly, with Lorenzo Gonzalez finishing a three-point-play to cut it to a 74-70 game with 2:34 left.
Austin College would manage to hold off the late charge by the Crusaders, though Gonzalez knocked down a triple with 12 seconds left to keep things interesting by making the score 83-78. Igbinosa hit a pair of free throws with three seconds left to ice the game and help send the 'Roos to the SCAC Tournament.
Sullivan notched a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Igbinosa flirted with a triple-double, scoring 13 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and blocking eight shots. Brian Baehl scored 13 points and handed out four assists, and Dickerman finished with 12. Hudson chipped in 10 points and seven boards.
Tom Kaiser paced Dallas with 21 points and Gonzalez finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists for the Crusaders.
Austin College wraps up the regular season with Senior Day tomorrow as they take on Rust College at 3:00 p.m. in Hughey Gym.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.