HSU hits 100 again vs. Concordia, advanced to tournament semis
It's tough to beat the same team twice in a week, but Hardin-Simmons accomplished that Tuesday.
Just five days after outscoring Concordia-Texas 109-92 at the Mabee Complex, the Cowboys defeated the Tornados for the third time this season 101-96 to advance to the semifinals of the American Southwest Conference tournament.
Senior Seven Quinn scored a career-high 39 points, hitting 16-of-18 free throws. He came into the game with 458 made free shots, 10 behind all-time leader Derrick Jefferson.
"I was just taking what the defense gave me every time," he said. Quinn hit his first seven shots from the field but kept the Tornados at bay in the second half with free shots. He is 26th nationally with 87.4% made.
"They gave me a lot of free throws," he said.
Quinn, who led the ASC in scoring, now owns the record and has one more game to play.
Next, No. 4 seed HSU (18-8) travels to Belton to play the No. 1-seeded Crusaders, who four days ago outlasted HSU 95-90, also at Mabee.
Concordia, the No. 5 seed, ends its season at 13-12.
In Tuesday's other quarterfinal, No. 3 East Texas Baptist eliminated No. 6 LeTourneau 77-65.
ETBU takes on No. 2 University of Texas-Dallas at 5 p.m., Friday with the HSU rematch with Mary Hardin-Baylor at 7:30 p.m. The winners meet at 6 p.m. Saturday.
"Friday's a big game. We just lost to them Saturday and I really think we should've won that game," Quinn said. To win Friday, "we've got to play the same way we did tonight. Just play that way both halves."
HSU boosted its home court record to 10-4 this season with the win. Three losses to were to the other three teams that will play ASC semifinal games.
Now, it's time for payback.
"I love our team. We have a complete team and have different guys step up every game," HSU coach Matt Brackett said. "It's going to take all of our guys playing together and shooting the ball well.
"I have no doubt in my mind that we can win this game. We just need to show up and play our game."
HSU piled up the points this year against Concordia, winning 105-92 in Austin. Three of HSU's seven games of 100 or more points came against Concordia.
Points, however, were tougher to come by Tuesday in the second half.
The Cowboys scored 50 points in the first, hitting 56% from the field. Concordia flipped the script, sinking 61% in the second half.
"They did some things to us offensively that gave us some trouble. They are really hard to defend," Brackett said. "They're quick, they're athletic. They're aggressive off the ball screens."
HSU got up by 15 points in the first half but Concordia whittled that to eight before HSU took a 50-39 lead into halftime.
The Cowboys got out of the gate in the second half with a 3-pointer by Quinn, who took only two during the game, and soon HSU was up by 15 again at 63-48 on two Quinn free shots.
Concordia then went on an 11-0 run, capped by back-to-back jump shots by Donovan Stafford, to cut HSU's lead to 63-59 with 12:22 to play.
HSU needed a spark and got it from Jamison Bosch, who sandwiched a defensive block with 3-pointers. The Cowboys were able to lead by 11 at times but never able to pull away.
Ahead 95-87, Concordia got a free shot and Antoine Henderson converted a three-point play on an offensive rebound to make it a four-point game again.
But a soaring rebound by HSU guard Jason Justice and his two free shots downcourt put HSU on the verge of 100. Forced to foul, Concordia was forced to foul Quinn, who sank both to put the Cowboys over 100. It was the 10th game this season in which the Tornados have given up 100 or more points, including the last three played in Abilene. McMurry won 103-98 on Saturday.
But what did fans expect? Concordia entered the game scoring 90 points a game, sixth in the nation. And at 88.8% HSU ranked eighth. Seventh? McMurry at 89.2.
Joining Quinn, who also had eight rebounds and four assists, in double figures were Justice with 17, Will Bartoszek with 15 and Austin Brewer with 13. Brewer had 14 rebounds.
The Cowboys missed scoring output from Aidan Walsh and Jared Bomer, who combined for two points on one free shot each. Walsh, a senior, played his last game at Mabee, finishing with one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in program history.
HSU shot an even 50% for the game and hit 9 of 21 three-pointers
Concordia had five players in double figures, led by Stafford with 22 and D.J. Pigford with 19.
The Tornados shot 54% for the game after a slow start, hitting seven more shots than HSU overall. Working inside, they took only 10 3-point shot, hitting three.
AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Hardin-Simmons 101, Concordia 96
Concordia … 39 … 57 – 96
HSU … 50… 51 – 101
CONCORDIA (13-12) – Donovan Stafford 10 0-0 22, Tariq Muhammad 0 0-0 0, Robert Hall 1 2-2 4, D.J. Pigford 9 1-2 19, Jaylon Johnson 2 2-4 6, Braden Myart 4 5-5 14, Antoine Henderson 6 303 15, Dylen Scales 7 2-6 16, Ka'Von Moore Jr. 0 0-0 0. Totals 39 15-21 96
HARDIN-SIMMONS (18-8) – Steven Quinn 11 16-18 39, Will Bartoszek 4 5-6 15, Jared Bomer 0 1-2 1, Jason Justice 7 2-3 17, Calaway Dykes 3 0-0 9, Austin Brewer 5 3-5 13, Jamison Bosch 2 0-0 6, Aidan Walsh 0 1-2-1. Totals 32 28-36 101
3-Point Goals – Concordia 3 (Stafford 2,Myart ). Hardin-Simmons 9 (Calaway Dykes 3, Bosch 2, Bartoszek 2, Quinn, Justice). Total Fouls – Concordia 25, HSU 18. Fouled Out – None. Technical Fouls – None.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: HSU hits 100 again vs. Concordia, advanced to tournament semis
