THE RUNDOWN
For the first time in program history, the Dallas Baptist Patriots are headed to the Lone Star Conference Men's Basketball Championship Finals after a thrilling 78-71 victory over St. Edward's in the semifinals. Ricky Lujan fueled the win with a stellar performance, scoring 26 points and leading the charge as the Patriots overcame a tough first half. After a slow start, DBU turned up the intensity in the second half, using a balanced offensive attack and tenacious defense to erase a halftime deficit and advance to the finals. With this historic win, the Patriots have earned their spot in the championship game for the first time since joining the Lone Star Conference in 2019.
The Lone Star Conference Basketball Championship Semifinals got off to a slow start, with both teams showcasing intense defensive pressure that kept the scoreboard quiet for over a minute. The first points of the night came from a well-executed lob from Ricky Lujan to Cameron Kahn, giving DBU the early 2-0 lead. However, the Hilltoppers quickly responded, tying the game at 2-2 at 18:12. Both teams continued to struggle offensively, and it wasn't until a steal by Mason Courtney of SEU that gave the Hilltoppers the go-ahead bucket, allowing them to take a brief 4-2 lead. Strong defensive rebounding from St. Edward's helped them extend their advantage to 6-2, as DBU struggled to regain their offensive rhythm. The Patriots entered a scoring drought for over three minutes, shooting just 13% from the field compared to SEU's 50% during that stretch. Nonetheless, the Patriots fought back, with Kahn breaking the Hilltoppers' eight-point scoring run to bring DBU within four at the 15-minute mark.
Capitalizing on a few bad passes from SEU, the Patriots were able to tie the game at 8-8, thanks to steals from Lujan and Kahn. After the under-12 timeout, SEU managed to reclaim the lead, but DBU responded with a huge three-pointer from Cody Stevens, giving the Patriots their first lead of the night at 16-14. That shot capped off an 8-0 run for the Patriots, as they briefly took control of the game. From that point, the game became a back-and-forth battle, with SEU regularly regaining the lead and the Patriots consistently fighting to stay within striking distance. Despite their efforts, the Hilltoppers' dominance in the paint allowed them to carry a 35-28 lead into halftime.
The second half saw a fired-up DBU squad come out strong, starting with a three-pointer from Jaden Shelvin to cut the Hilltoppers' lead. After a quick offensive foul on Kahn, Shelvin capitalized with a driving layup, bringing the Patriots within one at 35-33 just 38 seconds into the second half. For the next few minutes, SEU's lead fluctuated between two and four points, but the Hilltoppers managed to push their advantage to seven with a three-pointer. The Patriots answered with resilience, trimming the deficit to three as Xavion Brown scored a second-chance layup, and Aj Borden added a basket in the paint after a steal. DBU then forced a key 10-second violation, allowing Lujan to make it a one-point game at 48-47 with just over 13 minutes left.
The momentum began to shift as Shelvin made back-to-back baskets, putting the Patriots ahead by one after a clutch-driving layup by Lujan. The Comerica Center was alive with energy as DBU fans roared, and the Patriots embarked on a ten-point scoring run. By the 7:41 mark, DBU had extended their lead to nine, 62-53, thanks to contributions from Shelvin, Trevor Frank, and Borden, while Lujan reached 22 points. The Patriots' shooting percentage surged to 60%, a significant improvement from their first-half struggles. SEU made a push and cut the deficit to four with under eight minutes remaining, but DBU was undeterred. Drew Calderon hit a crucial shot to give the Patriots their highest lead of nine points, keeping the Hilltoppers at bay. Despite a late surge from SEU that brought the margin down to five with only a minute left, Cody Stevens hit a critical stepback jumper to seal the deal for DBU.Â
FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Tonight's victory marks DBU's first-ever appearance in the Lone Star Conference Men's Basketball Championship in program history.Â
- Ricky Lujan led the team with five assists and seven rebounds, while Jaden Shelvin posted a team-high of three blocks.
- DBU displayed excellent ball movement, recording 21 assists in the game.
- Despite holding the lead for just 13:59 of tonight's 40-minute matchup, the Patriots still came out on top with the win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2- Ricky Lujan (26 points) and
Cameron Kahn (12 points) were the only Patriots to reach double figures tonight.
6- Tonight's matchup was a thrilling back-and-forth contest, featuring six lead changes and nine ties.
10- The Patriots forced 21 turnovers from the Hilltoppers while limiting themselves to just 10 turnovers.
40- DBU dominated the boards, securing a total of 40 rebounds.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
UP NEXT
The Patriots will return to the Comerica Center tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. for the Lone Star Conference Championship Finals, where they will face the winners of the final semifinal matchup.
