BROWNWOOD — The UT Tyler women's basketball team made history on Friday, winning their first postseason game.
Brittany King hit for 34 points as the Patriots scored a 70-54 win over defending league champion Concordia-Texas in the American Southwest Conference Tournament at Brownwood Coliseum on the Howard Payne University campus.
The Patriots (18-8), the No. 3 seed from the ASC East, will play ASC No. 1 seed Louisiana College (23-3) in the semifinals at 2 p.m. today. The other semifinal has UT Dallas meeting host Howard Payne at 4:30 p.m.
The semifinal winners will play in the championship game at 2 p.m. Sunday. The ASC champion earns a bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
King had a double-double as she also had 14 rebounds, including nine offensive. She was the only Patriot in double figures.
After taking a 29-24 halftime lead, the Patriots gradually pulled away. King fueled an 11-0 run midway through the second half.
Paige Parish, a former UT Tyler player, led the Tornados (17-9) with 16 points.
UT Tyler's Teylor Seals added nine points and four steals, while teammate Taylor Murphy dished out five assists. Breann McMillan had four steals and seven rebounds.
First-year coach Kevin Baker has led the Patriots to a school record 18 wins.
This was the third appearance for the Patriots in the ASC Tournament as they lost their previous two games.
UT Tyler Men fall to Hardin-Simmons 104-101 in triple-overtime heartbreaker
RICHARDSON — UT Tyler came close to winning its first-ever postseason basketball game on Friday at The University of Dallas Activity Center.
However, Hardin-Simmons eased past the Patriots, 104-101, in triple overtime in an American Southwest Conference quarterfinal game.
After a raucous first half that saw six lead changes, UT Tyler's Tyler Hysell gave the Patriots a 73-71 lead with just 55 seconds to play.
With 44 seconds remaining Hysell stole the ball, giving the Patriots a chance to salt away the win. However, Tre Potter missed a jumper with 13 seconds remaining. With four seconds remaining, the Cowboys' Eric Taylor missed a jumper, but Andy Spears rebounded and his putback was good with one second showing, forcing overtime at 73-73.
In the first extra frame, the Cowboys were able to go up by two on a free throw by Taylor with 13 seconds showing, but again, Hysell was the man of the moment, knocking down a jumper with seven seconds remaining, forcing the game to a second overtime tied at 81-81.
Joe Stephens, who finished the game with a team-high 22 points, played the role of hero in the second extra frame.
After the Patriots were down by as many as eight points, Stephens hit a clutch three-pointer with 25 seconds remaining, tying the score at 92-92.
HSU took possession, but John Derr was unable to convert on a jumper, forcing the game to the third and final overtime period.
With 2:49 left to play the teams tied for the 10th time on the night, but Hardin-Simmons was able to go on a run, taking a 100-96 lead with just 1:29 left.
Stephens made a layup to cut the score to 102-101, but the Cowboys' Derr was able to convert on two free throws, giving HSU the 104-101 lead with 20 seconds showing.
In the last possession, Stephens, who had the hot hand, could not convert on the desperation three-pointer, giving Hardin-Simmons the win.
Six Patriots scored in double-digits on the day, including Darren Houliston who finished his UT Tyler career with a near record-breaking performance, hauling in 19 rebounds, one shy of the school-record, to go with 17 points.
Hysell finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds, while Tre Potter and Equettis Jenkins finished with 11 points each. Nathan Harbour added 10 points.
Spears led the Cowboys with 28 points and 14 rebounds, while Derr had 22 points and 12 boards.
The Patriots end their record-setting season at 18-8, the most wins in program history.
Hardin-Simmons (16-10) advances to the semifinals where the Cowboys will play Mary Hardin-Baylor (22-4) at 2 p.m. today. The other semifinal has UT Dallas (20-6) playing Concordia Texas (21-5) at 4:30 p.m.
The semifinal winners will play in the championship game at 2 p.m. Sunday.
ASC Women's Basketball
Tournament
Brownwood Coliseum, Howard Payne University, Brownwood
Friday
Quarterfinals
Game 1: [East No. 1] Louisiana College 92, [West No. 4] Mary Hardin-Baylor 52
Game 2: [East No. 3] UT Tyler 70, [West No. 2] Concordia Texas 54
Game 3: [East No. 2] UT Dallas 71, [West No. 3] Hardin-Simmons 55
Game 4: [West No. 1] Howard Payne 88, [East No. 4] East Texas Baptist 72
Saturday
Semifinals
Game 5: Louisiana College (23-3) vs. UT Tyler (18-8), 2 p.m.
Game 6: UT Dallas (18-8) vs. Howard Payne (22-4), 4:30 p.m.
Sunday
Championship
Game 7: Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.
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ASC Men's Basketball Tournament
UTD Activity Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson
Friday
Quarterfinals
Game 1: [West 1] Mary Hardin-Baylor 61, [East 4] LeTourneau 54
Game 2: [West 3] Hardin-Simmons 104, [East 2] UT Tyler 101, 3OTs
Game 3: [West 2] Concordia Texas 78, [East 3] Mississippi College 76
Game 4: [East 1] UT Dallas 74, [West 4] Schreiner 60
Saturday
Semifinals
Game 5: Mary Hardin-Baylor (22-4) vs. Hardin-Simmons (16-10), 2 p.m.
Game 6: Concordia Texas (21-5) vs. UT Dallas (20-6), 4:30 p.m.
Sunday
Championship
Game 7: Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.