AUSTIN, Texas – With nearly every game a must-win contest down the stretch of the regular season, St. Edward's men's basketball reeled off a 16-4 run over the final four minutes to defeat the Cameron Aggies 101-99.
GAVINO RAMOS scored 18 points and dished out seven assists to lead six Hilltoppers in double figures, and CONOR MCMANUS hit three of his five 3-pointers in the second half, including a 3-pointer to tie the game at 99 with 1:28 remaining.
Both teams opened the game connecting on haymakers, combining to shoot 20-for-37 from the 3-point line in the first half and well over 50 percent overall.
Ramos was nearly perfect in the first half, hitting all four of his 3-point attempts and shooting 5-for-6 overall with three assists and no turnovers for 14 first-half points. LUCA BAREI sparked St. Edward's off the bench with nine points on four shots, and LEWIS ROWE added seven inside.
While Ramos was near perfect, Cameron guard Miles Gurske hit all six of his shots in the first half, including five 3-pointers, and scored 17 points. The extra three points were the difference at the break, leading the Aggies to a 54-51 lead.
Cameron gained separation with a 9-0 run early in the second half. Aaron Jacob scored 18 second-half points, operating as a stretch four with a pair of 3-pointers, scoring three inside, and getting to the free-throw line seven times, converting six.
JAMISON KAY kept the Hilltoppers afloat with 12 second-half points on 5-for-7 shooting, and LATIEK BRISCOE went on a timely eight-point scoring blitz, including a spectacular dunk.
With seemingly neither team capable of missing, shooting better than 50 percent from the field and beyond the 3-point line, St. Edward's simply went into overdrive to ensure the Aggies couldn't get a shot off.
As the game got chippier down the stretch, Rowe blocked a Jacob 3-point attempt and received a technical for taunting. The resulting free throws put Cameron up 95-85 with 4:37 remaining but lit a fire under the Hilltoppers.
For the next four minutes, the Hilltoppers played with the intensity of an ant colony whose hill had been disturbed, swarming the court from every direction.
Ramos recorded a steal and layup, and then McManus picked off a pass in the backcourt for another. The Aggies missed the front end of a one-and-one free-throw attempt, and Ramos hit Rowe in perfect stride out of the pick-and-roll out of a media timeout.
Kay brought St. Edward's within one on a fastbreak layup through contact and free throw, but Cameron answered with a 4-0 run. MASON COURTNEY drew a foul and hit clutch free throws, then Rowe stole an interior pass attempt, and McManus drained a 3-pointer off a feed from Kiser.
Both teams missed a jumper, but Ramos stole the ball from Gurske and fed Kay on a fastbreak layup for the go-ahead bucket with four seconds remaining. The Aggies got one last possession, but St. Edward's forced a turnover to seal the game.
St. Edward's forced 14 turnovers, outscoring Cameron 21-3 in points off turnovers. The Hilltoppers improved to 16-10 with a 9-7 conference record and will host Oklahoma Christian on Saturday.
