THE RUNDOWN
The Dallas Baptist University Patriots delivered a dominant performance in their semifinal matchup against Midwestern State, securing an 80-54 victory to advance to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Finals for the first time in program history. From the opening tip, DBU set the tone, with Cameron Kahn scoring a quick layup and the defense forcing an early turnover. Despite some early challenges from MSU, the Patriots' aggressive offense and stifling defense allowed them to build a substantial lead in both halves. Strong contributions from key players, including Kahn, Calderon, and Brown, combined with relentless defensive pressure, propelled DBU to a commanding 26-point win, marking a historic moment for the program.
The Patriots opened strong in the first half, with Cameron Kahn scoring a quick layup just 10 seconds into the game, followed by a 5-second turnover forced by the defense. Cody Stevens then knocked down a three-pointer to give DBU an early 5-0 lead. MSU responded with a layup by Pierre Sanders at 17:31 to get on the board, but DBU continued to control the pace, with Drew Calderon's three-pointer extending the lead to 8-4. MSU kept the game close, cutting the DBU lead to just one point at 16:11, but the Patriots answered with solid offensive plays. Trevor Frank picked up a steal, and Xavion Brown grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back in for a tip-in layup, extending the lead to 10-6. Then, a defensive rebound by AJ Borden led to a fast break, capped off by a powerful slam dunk from Brown, assisted by Ricky Lujan, giving DBU a 12-6 advantage at 14:34.
The Mustangs responded with a seven-point run, tying the game at 18-18 with 10:14 remaining. MSU then took their first lead of the game at 9:24, but Calderon quickly answered with a three-pointer, giving the Patriots a 21-20 lead. The game continued to see back-and-forth action, with MSU tying it up at 23-23 apiece, but DBU started to take control. A critical stretch came when the Patriots forced the Mustangs into a scoring drought lasting over two minutes, pushing their lead to 28-23. MSU attempted to close the gap, but a three-pointer from Calderon, assisted by Lujan, and a steal by Trevor Frank pushed DBU's lead to 31-25 at 3:48. The Patriots' defense continued to shine, forcing a turnover just before the under-4 media timeout, leading to an 8-point scoring run.
With contributions from Isaac Bullard, Cameron Kahn, and Ricky Lujan, DBU extended their lead to 37-27 with 46 seconds remaining in the first half. A steal by Trevor Frank led to another layup by Xavion Brown, pushing DBU's lead to 12 points, 39-27, and capping off an 8-point run. In the final moments of the half, Xavion Brown added a second-chance jumper, putting the finishing touch on an outstanding half of basketball. The Patriots entered the break with a 41-27 lead, closing out the first half on a 10-point scoring run and looking to continue their strong performance in the second half.
The second half started with a bang as Brown threw down a dunk, pushing the Patriots' lead to 16 points. However, MSU quickly responded, cutting the deficit to 11 just a minute into the second half. Despite this early push by the Mustangs, Jackson McCabe answered back with a second-chance layup, restoring the lead to 48-32 for DBU.
Trevor Frank then knocked down a three-pointer to extend DBU's advantage to 51-32, but MSU responded with a jumper, briefly ending their scoring drought of just over two minutes. Still, the Patriots maintained their control, and Cam Kahn's free throws, followed by a steal and a layup, gave DBU a commanding 57-36 lead at 14:37. The Burg Center erupted with energy as Kahn capped off a personal 6-point run after the media timeout, putting DBU up by 23, 59-36.
DBU continued to dominate, going on a 12-0 run that saw free throws from Lujan, a dunk from McCabe, layups from Kahn, and a basket from Isaac Bullard, pushing the lead to 65-36 at 10:59. The defense ramped up even further, as DBU forced MSU into a scoring drought, turning five turnovers into opportunities. By the 9:16 mark, Bullard's layup extended DBU's lead to 31 points, 69-38. Entering the under-8 media timeout, the Patriots had forced 26 turnovers and turned those into 29 points, while tallying 16 steals and 17 assists compared to the Mustangs' 7 in each category. As the game neared its final minutes, Lujan drained a three-pointer to push the Patriots' lead back to 3. Moments later, Lujan added another layup in transition to make it a 33-point game at 78-45 with just 4:01 remaining. Although MSU went on a brief 7-point run to close out the game, it wasn't nearly enough to overcome DBU's commanding performance. The Patriots sealed a 80-54 victory, advancing to the NCAA DII South Central Regional Finals for the first time in program history.
FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Tonight's triumph marks the Patriots' first-ever trip to the NCAA DII Regional Sweet Sixteen in program history.
- The Patriots forced 26 turnovers from the Mustangs and capitalized by scoring 29 points off those turnovers.
-Â The Patriots were relentless on both ends of the floor, accumulating 33 rebounds, 19 assists, and 16 steals, showcasing their defensive and offensive dominance.Â
- Xavion Brown led the team with eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals, delivering a well-rounded performance on both ends of the court.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
4- Four Patriots finished in double figures tonight, with
Cameron Kahn leading the way with 14 points, followed by
Drew Calderon and
Xavion Brown with 12 each, and
Isaac Bullard contributing 10.
8- The Patriots were flawless from the free-throw line, shooting a perfect 8 of 8 for 100% on the night.
31- The Patriots' bench contributed 31 points, making a significant impact on the game.
46- DBU produced 46 points in the paint compared to MSU's 28.
DBU POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE- NCAA DIVISION II SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
UP NEXT
The Patriots will return to the Burg Center Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. for the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Finals, where they will face the nationally ranked #7 Colorado School of Mines.
Â
