SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — For the first time in program history, the Spring Arbor University men’s basketball team has advanced to the semifinal round of the NAIA DII Men’s Basketball National Championship after defeating No. 4-seeded Indiana University East 89-77 on Saturday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
No. 2-seeded Spring Arbor closed the first half on an 11-4 run to take a 45-35 lead into halftime, and maintained a double-digit cushion throughout the entire second half.
It was the third straight game the Cougars shot at least 60 percent from the field, and are now shooting a tournament-best 63 percent through the first three rounds.
Spring Arbor will meet the winner of the No. 3-seeded Marian (Ind.) and No. 5-seeded Briar Cliff (Iowa) game in the national semifinals on Monday, Mar. 11 at 9 p.m. ET.
FINAL SCORE: No. 2-seed Spring Arbor 89, No. 4-seed Indiana East 77
LOCATION: Sanford Pentagon | Sioux Falls, S.D.
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 28-7, Indiana East 26-9
HOW IT HAPPENED
Spring Arbor became the first team to punch its ticket to the semifinal round on Saturday. It was a back-and-forth first 12 minutes, seeing eight ties and three lead changes. However, the Cougars began to open things up over the final five minutes of the stanza. With his third 3-pointer of the half, Luke Barber kick-started an 11-4 run to put SAU on top 45-35 at the break. Spring Arbor scored the first seven points of the second half to increase its lead to 17, 52-35, at the 16:09 mark. The lead ballooned to 20, 66-46 moments later after Brandon Durnell sank a deep three as the shot clock expired and Payton DeWildt followed with an easy lay-in. Indiana East closed the gap to 11 in the final two minutes, but free throws from Tom Hamilton would help seal the victory.
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor will meet either Marian (Ind.) (27-7) or Briar Cliff (Iowa) (22-8) in the semifinals on Monday, Mar. 11 at 9 p.m. ET. The winner moves on to play in the national championship game on Tuesday, Mar. 12. The title game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN3.
