Hardin-Simmons (14-6, 12-5 ASC West) held Texas Lutheran to four field goals in the second half. The Bulldogs (11-8, 10-6 ASC) did not register a field goal in the final 8:51 of action.
Hardin-Simmons trailed by 13 (38-25) at the half and by 17 after a Nik Summers three-pointer gave Texas Lutheran a 47-30 lead with 14:21 to play. Summers’ three-pointer would be the last Bulldog field goal until Mike Ekanem’s jumper at the 8:51 mark.
The Cowboys employed its full court press and relied on its defense and outside shooting to get back into the game. Zach Pickelman started the comeback with a three-pointer to bring the Cowboys within 14. He hit another three-pointer sandwiched between three buckets by Marlon Washington, who converted a turnover into a layup and then hit a three and another layup.
The last Washington bucket brought Hardin-Simmons within five, at 49-44, capping a 14-2 run that took just five minutes off the clock.
Texas Lutheran’s only real second-half offense came from the free throw line, where the Bulldogs hit 7-of-10 free throws. Tommy Stolhandske’s two free throws at the 2:50 mark put TLU ahead by four, 53-49.
Hardin-Simmons’ Tanner Kudrna would later tie the game at 54 with 1:18 to play after making two free throws.
The Cowboys stopped TLU on its next possession and worked the ball to Nite for the winning shot. Nite stepped behind the three-point line and let fly over the arms of Stolhandske. The shot buried itself in the net.
Texas Lutheran tried two desperation three-pointers, one by Nik Summers and one by Mike Ekanem, in the closing seconds. Hardin-Simmons rebounded the second miss and through the ball the length of the court for a layup at the buzzer by Matt Brackett.
Pickelman led HSU with 15 points. He hit three of his four three-point attempts. He was 3-for-3 in the second half from beyond the arc.
Nite added 11 points and 10 rebounds. Tanner Kudrna scored 13 points and contributed four rebounds, three assists and four steals.
Ekanem led TLU with 14 points. Stolhandske added 11 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.
In the second half, the Bulldogs shot just 21.1 percent and 10 percent (1-for-10) from the three-point line.
Texas Lutheran now needs a win Saturday over McMurry to stay within striking distance of an American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament berth. TLU entered Thursday night’s action in third place in the ASC West Division. The top four teams in the ASC West advance to the postseason tournament.