Posted: Feb 24, 2019
SEGUIN, Texas - In the first men's tournament final to go to double overtime, it was Texas Lutheran who was the last team standing as the Bulldogs defeated Dallas, 99-95, in Sunday's championship game contested on the campus of TLU. Official Tournament Website | Post-game Interview w/Texas Lutheran | Men's Tournament Stats
TLU had a good look to win in regulation and Dallas had the same at the end of the first overtime period, but both shots went begging and it took the second extra stanza to settle the exciting affair. Two free throws by Jai Love gave UD the lead at 92-91 inside of a minute, but TLU scored the next six points and held on for the 99-95 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Texas Lutheran jumped out to an 11-0 lead, making its first four shots, including three from beyond the three-point arc.
- The Bulldogs extended their lead to 20-8 with 13:48 remaining in the first, but the Crusaders closed the half on a 34-17 run to take 42-37 lead.
- A three-pointer by Michael Wambsganss extended Dallas' lead to 17 (61-44) with 15:40 remaining.
- TLU picked away at the Dallas lead over the next 12 minutes of clock time and eventually tied the game up at 71 with 3:40 remaining in the contest.
- Neither team got more than a four-point lead the rest of the way and, with the score tied, driving layup by TLU's Nathan Josephs rolled off the rim and the game went to overtime.
- The tables were turned and at the end of the first overtime period, Dallas' Joshua Nunn missed a driving layup of his own to send the game into another extra period.
- After shooting 52.7 percent in regulation, Dallas managed just 18.8 percent (3-16) in the two overtime periods. TLU shot 43.2 percent (29-67) in regulation and 30.0 percent (3-10) in overtime.
- Dallas remained hot from three-point range for the second consecutive night. After shooting 52.9 percent last night, the Crusaders were 52.4 percent (11-21) in today's championship game.
- Both teams were proficient from the charity stripe as Dallas finished 20-22 (90.9 percent) and TLU was 25-28 (89.3 percent).
- TLU won the turnover battle, forcing 14 UD turnovers and committing just five. TLU scored 16 points off those turnovers compared to just 5 for Dallas.
TEXAS LUTHERAN STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Jackson Willoughby: 21 points, 7 rebounds
- Shawn Hamilton: 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
- Nathan Josephs: 18 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals
- Sebastian Andrade: 15 pionts, 7 rebounds
DALLAS STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Michael Wambsganss: 35 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
- Joshua Nunn: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
- Jai Love: 13 points, 2 assists
NOTABLES
- Texas Lutheran improved to 4-0 all-time in SCAC men's title games, with all those wins coming in the last five years.
- The game was the first double-overtime championship game in SCAC Men's Basketball tournament history. The contest was the second double-overtime game among all SCAC Tournament contests.
- The TLU win constitutes just the second time a SCAC men's team has won the conferene title on its home floor. The Trinity men won the 2014 championship as the host school.
- With both TLU teams winning tournament titles, Texas Lutheran become the fifth institution to sweep both championships at the same event in the modern era (2003 to present). DePauw won both titles in 2003, Trinity won both in 2005, DePauw won both in 2006 and Trinity won both in 2013.
- The all-tournament team consisted of Brandon Alexander of Southwestern, Joshua Nunn and Michael Wambsganss of Dallas; and Shawn Hamilton, Nathan Josephs and Jackson Willoughby of Texas Lutheran.
- Willoughby was named tournament MVP.
- Dallas ends its season with an 11-16 mark.
UP NEXT
Texas Lutheran, winner of the SCAC's automatic bid, improves to 18-9 on the season and will find out its NCAA Tournament first-round matchup on Monday when the NCAA announces the 2019 national bracket.
