SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. — The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College men's basketball team claimed their first-ever River States Conference Tournament Championship with a 76-61 win over Indiana University-Southeast (IU-Southeast) on Tuesday, March 4, at the Knoerle Center.
The Pomeroys (26-5) dominated in the second half, overcoming a narrow 31-28 deficit at halftime to secure the victory. SMWC outscored IU-Southeast 45-33 in the final 20 minutes, fueled by a stellar performance from
Greg Jenkins, who led the way with 33 points on 13-of-21 shooting. Jenkins also contributed 5 rebounds and 3 assists in the victory.
Shon Tupuola added 15 points and 7 rebounds for SMWC, while
DaMeriz Merriweather chipped in 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Greg Johnson rounded out the top performers with 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in the win.
SMWC will now turn their attention to the NAIA National Tournament, where they will learn their opponent on Thursday, March 6, at 8 p.m. ET. The Pomeroys are making their second consecutive trip to the NAIA National Tournament and their second in program history.
The game started with an early 3-pointer from
Malachi Pearson of SMWC, giving the Pomeroys a quick 3-0 lead. However, IU-Southeast responded with a three of their own by Trent Hinkle just 29 seconds later.
The teams exchanged leads several times, with Hinkle leading the way for the Grenadiers. He finished the half with a team-high 10 points, including a jumper at the 6:48 mark that briefly put IU-Southeast up 21-16. However, SMWC's
Greg Jenkins was instrumental in keeping the Pomeroys in the game, scoring several crucial points, including a fast-break layup at 6:12 that cut the deficit to 21-19.
Jenkins' hot hand continued, as he followed that up with two more jumpers and a free throw, helping SMWC claim a 23-22 lead with just over two minutes remaining. His fast-break layup at 1:28 stretched the Pomeroy lead to 29-25, the largest of the half.
IU-Southeast did not back down, as Caleb Brown hit a 3-pointer with 27 seconds left, trimming the deficit to 31-28. But the Grenadiers could not capitalize on the final possession as SMWC held strong defensively.
The game remained close early in the second half, with SMWC leading 34-28 at the 19:36 mark.
Greg Johnson opened the half with a three-pointer to extend the lead, and the Woods kept the momentum going, with another strong performance from
Greg Jenkins. Jenkins contributed key baskets, including a jumper at the 13:31 mark to give SMWC a 44-35 advantage.
IU-Southeast tried to stay in the game, with Caleb Brown and Richard Lang providing some scoring sparks, including Brown's 3-pointer at the 18:12 mark and Lang's dunk that brought the score to 38-35. However, SMWC answered back quickly, with Jenkins hitting several clutch shots, including a fast-break layup at the 6:27 mark that pushed the lead to 65-49.
Defensive play also played a crucial role for SMWC, as they forced turnovers and converted them into points. A steal by
Greg Johnson at the 6:30 mark led to a fast-break layup, increasing the Woods' lead to 67-49. Another steal by Johnson with 1:44 left resulted in a fast-break layup, pushing the lead to 75-55.
