Hardin-Simmons Knocks Out Reigning ASC Champion Texas Dallas

Senior Derrick Jefferson scored a game-high 21 points to lead HSU past the defending ASC Champions Texas Dallas.

2/26/2015 5:47:48 PM

Final Box Score

No. 2 Hardin-Simmons 76, No. 7 Texas Dallas 63

MARSHALL, Texas — After trailing at halftime by one point at 30-29, the Hardin-Simmons University men’s basketball team caught fire in the second half and scored 48 points to run past Texas Dallas 77-63 and advance to the ASC Championship Tournament semi-finals for the fifth straight year and return the favor to UTD who beat them in last year's tournament.

Derrick Jefferson led HSU with 21 points, joined in double figures by Christian O’Neal, and Justin Jones with 17 and Cameron Barnes with 10 points. Jones led HSU with seven rebounds. Reagan Keogh led UTD with 14 points and six rebounds.

It took over two minutes for either team to score before Jefferson threw down a dunk off a steal to get HSU on the board. From there the two teams went back and forth as HSU would take the lead, then UTD would tie it back up. Finally, UTD took their first lead at 14-12 with 11:18 left in the half. HSU took the lead back then held a narrow lead for about 10 minutes before UTD took back the lead at 25-24 with 1:39 left in the half. UTD outscored HSU 10-5 over the last 2:22 seconds of the half to take a 30-29 lead into intermission.

Down one to start the second half, HSU took the lead with 17 minutes to go in the game and never trailed again. Christian O’Neal scored six straight points for the Cowboys as they took a 39-34 lead. HSU swelled their lead as the half went on, taking their first double-digit lead of the game at 53-42 with 9:38 left. From there HSU continued to pull away, leading by as many as 23 at 70-47. UTD closed the game on an 8-1 run from down 21 at 76-55 but it was far from enough as HSU sealed the 14 point win.

HSU will play Concordia on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Ornelas Gym in the tournament semifinals.

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