NCAA News Wire
Stephen F. Austin 77, Virginia Commonwealth 75 (OT)
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
SAN DIEGO — Stephen F. Austin put a little madness in March with its 77-75 overtime upset of VCU in Friday night’s NCAA South Regional second-round game in San Diego.
Forward Jacob Parker hit a jumper with a minute let in overtime to put the Lumberjacks ahead 76-73 and forward Thomas Walkup added a free throw.
VCU guard JeQuan Lewis had a good look at a tying 3-point in the closing seconds, but it failed to drop.
The No. 5-seeded Rams (26-9) led 65-59 with 56 seconds remaining in regulation after a 3-pointer by guard Jordan Burgess. But the No. 12-seeded Lumberjacks (32-2) failed to wilt in winning their 29th consecutive game.
Stephen F. Austin guard Desmond Haymon converted a four-point play with 3.6 seconds left to send the game into overtime. Haymon sank a long 3-pointer and was fouled by Lewis on the shot.
The Lumberjacks were paced by Parker’s 22 points.
Guard Treveon Graham had a team-high 19 points for VCU.
Stephen F. Austin made a late push after falling behind 60-50 with under four minutes to play. When guard Deshaunt Walker sank a 3-pointer, the Lumberjacks trailed by three with two minutes to play.
But Burgess drained a key 3-pointer with under a minute left to push VCU ahead by six. It was not enough.
The game had turned quickly, just as it appeared Stephen F. Austin would run away it.
Instead, it almost got run over.
A four-point halftime lead became a 10-point cushion when forward Nikola Gajic sank two free throws and guard Trey Pinkney added a layup to start the second half.
But a 40-30 edge was lost when VCU blitzed the Lumberjacks with a 20-3 run that featured a seven-minute stretch in which Stephen F. Austin scored but one field goal.
The score was tied at 8 five minutes in and the first half a pretty much a give-and-take affair for the remaining 15 minutes.
Stephen F. Austin took an 18-13 lead midway through the half on three inside baskets by Walkup, Gajic and Parker. But VCU tied it on a 3-pointer by guard Doug Brooks and a putback by forward Juvonte Reddic.
Burgess’ 3-pointer gave VCU a 28-26 edge, but Stephen F. Austin closed the first half with a 10-2 run highlighted by Parker’s 3-pointer just before the buzzer.
Parker led all scorers with 11 first-half points. Graham and Burgess each had six for the Rams.
NOTES: Stephen F. Austin was undefeated in the Southland Conference, going 18-0 before winning its two games in the conference tournament. … The Lumberbacks made their second NCAA Tournament appearance. … By ending the season with a 33-game home winning run, Stephen F. Austin tied Duke for the longest active streak in the nation. … Stephen F. Austin had never played VCU before Friday’s matchup. … For the first time in school history, VCU made its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. … The Rams have played only one other Southland Conference member, Oral Roberts. That came in 1976-77, before VCA coach Shaka Smart was born. … VCU entered the tournament leading the nation with 380 steals.
