AUSTIN, Texas — In the defining moment of one of the Lone Star Conference's fiercest rivalry games, St. Edward's head coach Andre Cook had options.

He could have turned to senior BLAKE NIELSEN, a two-time All-LSC selection with nearly 1,300 career points. He could have ridden senior forward JAMISON KAY, who had already dissected the St. Mary's defense for 24 points in a masterclass of versatility.

Instead, Cook entrusted freshman point guard RYDER BRADLEY.

Bradley rewarded that trust, slicing through the defense and finishing the game-winning layup with five seconds remaining to lift the Hilltoppers to a 73–71 victory over St. Mary's.

St. Mary's set the tone early with physical defense and the quick-strike scoring of Wayne Wiggins. The Rattlers disrupted Nielsen's rhythm, holding the Hilltopper point forward to 1-for-5 shooting in the first half, while Wiggins attacked downhill for nine points on 4-of-6 shooting, including a three-pointer.

St. Edward's countered with its double-big lineup of Kay and sophomore SAM MCKINNEY. Kay scored on consecutive possessions — first on a quick interior finish, then racing ahead in transition off a Bradley assist. Nielsen later returned to orchestrate the offense, finding Kay for a three-pointer and McKinney for a dunk as the Hilltoppers claimed a narrow 19–18 advantage.

Kay extended the lead to five with 1:07 remaining in the half, but St. Mary's responded behind Olaverr Camacho, who scored five straight points to send the teams into halftime tied.

Kay and McKinney combined for 17 first-half points on 8-of-11 shooting, while CONOR MCMANUS added seven. The Hilltoppers assisted on 10 of their 13 made field goals but were limited to 3-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc and allowed nine offensive rebounds, keeping the Rattlers even.

The second half unfolded as a back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to generate separation. Kay remained the Hilltoppers' offensive fulcrum, attacking mismatches off the dribble, cutting into space, and finishing through contact. He scored 15 second-half points on 5-of-9 shooting while adding two assists.

Nielsen found his rhythm as the game progressed, contributing eight second-half points and helping steady the offense. McManus added a pair of timely three-pointers, while Bradley picked his moments carefully, attacking when opportunity presented itself.

Camacho continued to anchor the Rattlers inside, and Lawyer Jones provided efficient scoring with 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting.

After Kay tied the game at 71 with 45 seconds remaining on two free throws, St. Mary's appeared poised to seize control when Mendoza connected on a contested three-pointer as the shot clock expired. However, officials ruled an offensive foul, determining Mendoza initiated contact by extending his leg.

Given new life, the Hilltoppers placed the ball in Bradley's hands.

The freshman delivered, using a quick crossover to penetrate the defense before finishing through traffic for the go-ahead basket with five seconds remaining. St. Mary's final desperation attempt fell off the backboard as time expired, sealing the Hilltoppers' rivalry victory.

Kay led St. Edward's with 24 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Nielsen and McManus added 13 points each, with Nielsen contributing seven rebounds and six assists. Bradley finished with 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting, along with four assists and no turnovers.

In the rivalry's defining moment, the Hilltoppers trusted their future — and Bradley delivered.