Texas Lutheran Men Win Second Straight SCAC Basketball Championship - Feb 29, 2016
Texas Lutheran took a six-point lead into the halftime lockeroom and held on late to take a hard-earned 80-77 victory over Colorado College in the championship game of the 2016 SCAC Men's Basketball Tournament Sunday at Centenary College's Gold Dome. Official Tournament Website
The championship is the second consecutive men's title for the Bulldogs and earns them the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a first half that saw 7 lead changes, Texas Lutheran never trailed in the second half. Colorado College cut the lead to 1 twice (51-50 at 12:10 and 53-52 at 11:29) but could never catch the Bulldogs.
Both teams shot the ball very well. Clorado College outshot Texas Lutheran (53.1 percent to 48.3 percent) but TLU made 2 more field goals, including 1 more 3-pointer.
Texas Lutheran outscored Colorado College 18-4 on second chance points and the Bulldogs' bench outscored CC, 20-9.
A night after setting a new SCAC single-game tournament scoring record with 46 points, CC's Andrew Maddock picked up 3 early fouls and eventually fouled out with 8 points in 13 minutes of action.
TEXAS LUTHERAN STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
Sterling Holmes (6'0''-G): 17 points, 2 assists
Blake Ray (6'3''-F): 13 points, 4 rebounds
Jordan Kouremetis (6'0''-G-94): 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Zach Behr (6'5''-F): 9 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
COLORADO COLLEGE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
John Hatch (6'7''-F): 23 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks
James Lonergan (6'7''-F): 20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists
Justin Berardino (6'3''-G): 10 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
NOTABLES
The all-tournament team consisted of Alan Sullivan (6'7''-F) of Austin College; Hatch and Maddock of Colorado College; and Kouremetis, Behr and Holmes of TLU.
Holmes was named tournament MVP.
This is the second straight SCAC men's tournament title for Texas Lutheran. The last two programs to win two straight championships went on to win a third (Centre College in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and Trinity University in 2012, 2013 and 2014).
A top seed (either overall or divisional) has won the last nine SCAC Men's Basketball Tournaments. The tournament was seeded by division from 2008-2012.
Colorado College ends its season with a 16-11 record.
Courtesy of SCAC Sports
SCAC Tournament Final: Texas Lutheran - Colorado College
SCAC Tournament Semifinals:
Texas Lutheran - Centenary 80-70
Austin College - Colorado College 83-93, OT
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All-Tournament MVP: Sterling Holmes (6'0''-G) of Texas Lutheran
Player of the Year: Sterling Holmes (6'0''-G) of Texas Lutheran
Defensive Player of the Year: Stephen Igbinosa (6'8''-F) of Austin
Newcomer of the Year: Paris Marquez (6'0''-PG) of Texas Lutheran
Coach of the Year: Jimmy Smith of Texas Lutheran
1st Team
G: Sterling Holmes (6'0''-G) of Texas Lutheran
F: Ryan Ogden (6'3''-F) of Southwestern, TX
G: Travion Kirkendoll (6'3''-G) of Centenary, LA
F: James Sapp (6'4''-F) of Centenary, LA
F: James Lonergan (6'7''-F) of Colorado Coll.
2nd Team
G: Jordan Kouremetis (6'0''-G-94) of Texas Lutheran
F: Alan Sullivan (6'7''-F) of Austin
F: Zachary Whitlock (6'5''-F) of Southwestern, TX
G: Brian Baehl (6'2''-G) of Austin
F: Wes Miller (6'6''-F) of Schreiner
3rd Team
PG: Matt Jones (5'10''-PG) of Trinity, TX
F: A.J. Pulliam (6'5''-F) of Trinity, TX
F: Kendall Demouchet (6'4''-F) of Centenary, LA
F: John Hatch (6'7''-F) of Colorado Coll.
PG: Eric Houska (6'1''-PG) of Colorado Coll.
Honorable Mention
Treylan Matthews (6'0''-G-97) of Centenary, LA
Andrew Maddock (6'7''-F) of Colorado Coll.
Justin Berardino (6'3''-G) of Colorado Coll.
Michael Sarrat (6'3''-G) of Dallas
Tom Kaiser (6'7''-F/C) of Dallas
Lorenzo Gonzalez (5'9''-PG) of Dallas
Christian Pena (6'1''-G) of Schreiner
Chris Molina (6'0''-PG) of Southwestern, TX
Zach Behr (6'5''-F) of Texas Lutheran
Paris Marquez (6'0''-PG) of Texas Lutheran
Ben Beatie (6'9''-F) of Trinity, TX
All-Tournament Team
F: Alan Sullivan (6'7''-F) of Austin
F: John Hatch (6'7''-F) of Colorado Coll.
F: Andrew Maddock (6'7''-F) of Colorado Coll.
G: Jordan Kouremetis (6'0''-G-94) of Texas Lutheran
F: Zach Behr (6'5''-F) of Texas Lutheran
G: Sterling Holmes (6'0''-G) of Texas Lutheran
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