Concordia-Texas Upsets Hardin-Simmons, Advances to Finals
2/27/2015 7:46:28 PM
Final Box Score
No. 6 Concordia Texas 72, No. 2 Hardin-Simmons 66
MARSHALL, Texas — For the second day in a row, Concordia-Texas has beaten a team that swept them in the regular season. Hardin-Simmons took both regular season meetings by four points each—a 92-88 win in Austin and a 102-98 win in Abilene. This time the Tornadoes flipped the script and upset the Cowboys, 72-66.
Rashad Coleman led the Tornadoes in scoring with 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, also a team high. Coleman made 10-of-15 foul shots, and as a team Concordia made 26-of-34. Hardin-Simmons struggled from the line as they made just 18-of-34 foul shots. Derrick Jefferson led HSU with 24 points while Nathaniel Jack led with 11 rebounds.
HSU jumped out to an early lead at 13-5, with Christian O’Neal scoring six. Concordia went on a quick 10-2 run to tie the game at 15, and then a layup by Andre Potts gave them their first lead since 5-4 at 17-15 with 6:50 left in the half. The two teams would not be more than three points the rest of the half, and Concordia took a 31-29 lead into the intermission.
Jefferson started the second half with a three point play to give HSU the lead back right out of the gates. The tight battle continued, but both teams started hitting more shots, scoring 10 points in the first minute of the second half, compared to 60 the whole first half. Tied at 35, HSU went on a 9-0 run, capped off by a three pointer by O’Neal to take the largest lead of the game for either team.
Later HSU got up 48-37—the only double-digit lead of the game with 14:45 to go. But Concordia reeled off nine straight to get back within two, capped off by a three pointer by Donovan Ford. Eventually Concordia took the lead at 54-53 with 7:32 to go, their first lead in over 12 minutes. From there the teams would see-saw back and forth, until the last three minutes when Concordia took the lead on a three by Andre Potts and never trailed again. Concordia’s foul shots made the difference as they scored their final five points from the line to seal the six point win.
Concordia Texas will play the winner of Howard Payne and East Texas Baptist in the ASC Championship game tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. This is their third appearance in the tournament final with the Tornados winning the ASC championship in 2013.