The Langston Lions’ championship hopes reside on as they knock off the reigning nationwide champion Faculty of Idaho 58-52 to safe their spot within the event finale.
This marks the primary nationwide championship look for Langston in class historical past and the second for an HBCU previously three years (Talladega in 2022 additionally coached by Chris Wright).
Cortez Mosley led the Lions with a team-high 14 factors whereas D’Monte Brown got here off the bench to attain 12 factors, together with two 3-pointers.
This recreation was a defensive battle that noticed each groups unable to take a double-digit lead for the primary time of their respective event runs.
After ending the primary half deadlocked at 27, the sport started to alter because the Lions went on a prolonged scoring drought.
M🏀#NAIAMBB Championship evening is ready! @LangstonSports knocks off the defending nationwide champions of @CoyoteAthletics in trend with a 58-52 victory!#collegebasketball #BattleForTheRedBanner pic.twitter.com/Gn4pGBOY3u
— NAIA (@NAIA) March 26, 2024
Langston missed 9 straight pictures from the sphere over eight minutes that led to a 12-2 run.
The turning level got here with 12:24 left within the recreation when Anthony Roy, who was fouled on a 3-point try, hit two of three from the free-throw line.
This sparked a run for the Lions as they received scorching, hitting every of their subsequent 4 pictures (together with three 3-pointers) to tie the sport at 43 with 8:57 remaining in regulation.
Each groups would commerce the lead backwards and forwards earlier than seeing the sport tied 52 apiece with 44 seconds left.
The Lions turned the sport utterly of their favor with a sequence that started with a layup on offense. They then went down and received a block on the opposite finish that led to a transition dunk to present them a 56-52 result in seal the win.
Langston will face Freed Hardeman for the NAIA nationwide championship at 8:00 p.m. ET Tuesday evening on ESPN3.
The Lions need to turn into the primary HBCU to say an NAIA title since Texas Southern received it in 1977.
