Posted: Feb 25, 2023
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Fifth-seeded Schreiner University upset top-seeded and 12th-ranked University of St. Thomas, 65-64, in semifinal action on Saturday evening at the 2023 SCAC Men's Basketball Tournament at Trinity University. Official Tournament Website | Photo Gallery | Postgame Interview | Men's Tournament Stats
Trailing by three with just seconds remaining, St. Thomas's Ricky Altamirano missed a game-tying attempt from beyond the arc that would have potentially forced overtime. Teammate Joshua Sanchez grabbed the offensive rebound and made a layup as time expired to provide the final margin as the Celts were upended by the Mountaineers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Schreiner led from almost start to finish, jumping out to a 9-0 lead - its largest of the night - to start the game. St. Thomas took its first and only lead at 62-61 with 3:09 remaining on two free throws from Andrew Adebo when Mountaineers' big man Kamden Ross was whistled for his fifth foul. A made bucket by Schreiner's Alex Dehoyos gave the Mountaineers the lead back for good at 63-62 with 1:47 remaining.
- Schreiner shot a blistering 55.6 percent (25-of-45) from the floor, including a sizzling 45.0 percent (9-of-20) from beyond the arc while holding St. Thomas to under 40.0 percent shooting.
- The Celts bench kept UST in the game as St. Thomas held a commanding 22-9 edge in bench points.
- The St. Thomas defense kept the Celts in the game as they forced 20 Mountaineer turnovers, while committing just 12 of their own.
- UST totaled 13 steals, just two shy of tying the SCAC tournament single game team record of 15, set by Austin College in 2021.
- Schreiner held a slim 31-26 rebounding edge.
SCHREINER STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Alex Dehoyos: 17 points, six rebounds, 7-of-10 FG, two assists
- Beau Cervantes: 14 points, 5-of-8 FG, 4-of-7 3PT FG,
- Kamden Ross: 13 points, six rebounds, two assists
- Dylan Mackey: 10 points, three rebounds, four assists
ST. THOMAS STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Nick Anderson: 20 points, four rebounds, 7-of-13 FG, two steals
- Calvin Williams, Jr.: 9 points
- Joshau Sanchez: 9 points, three rebounds
- Zack Golaszewski: 8 points, four assists, five steals
NOTABLE
- Schreiner becomes just the third fifth seed to reach the final and first since Dallas in 2019. Only one higher seed has ever reached the final - #6 Oglethorpe at 2004 championship.
- Five seeds are 0-2 all-time in the championship game.
- Schreiner advances to its fifth SCAC championship game and the first since winning the title in 2018. The Mountaineers previously appeared in title games in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018.
- The loss snapped St. Thomas's 10 game win streak. The Celts' last loss came back on Jan. 5 to Hardin Simmons.
- No 12 ranked St. Thomas falls to 23-3 on the season and will await word of a possible at-large bid to the 2023 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship when selections are announced on Monday. Entering the weekend, the Celts were the top ranked team in Region X.
UP NEXT
Schreiner (14-13) advances to Sunday's SCAC men's title game where they will take on the winner of Trinity and Centenary with tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m. CT.