DALLAS — The scoreboard indicated nine minutes and 30 seconds remaining, but the metaphorical clock finally struck midnight on one of St. Edward's best seasons, ending in a 70-56 NCAA Regional Semifinals loss to host Dallas Baptist.
St. Edward's went toe-to-toe with the top-ranked team in the region for 30 minutes, matching the Patriots' vaunted chaotic defense with its own defense-on-a-string brand the Hilltoppers honed all season.
With both teams playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the intensity was palpable and dialed up to 10, even as shooting percentages dipped below freezing in the first half.
DBU controlled the interior early, outrebounding the Hilltoppers 28-18 in the first half and grabbing nine offensive rebounds. St. Edward's mitigated the damage by swarming the paint and rotating ahead of the Patriots' passes with anticipation bordering on precognition.
The Patriots countered with sheer volume, taking 10 more shot attempts in the half and grinding out a 12-2 advantage in the paint despite the Hilltoppers' ability to protect the ball.
St. Edward's created opportunities but struggled to capitalize inside.
JAMISON KAY and
RYDER BRADLEY accounted for the Hilltoppers' only baskets inside the arc, with Kay delivering the team's lone paint score of the half.
The Hilltoppers turned to the perimeter to balance the math, getting two 3-pointers each from Kay,
CONOR MCMANUS and
MASON COURTNEY while shooting 6-for-13 from deep.
The result was a first half with no scoring run longer than six points and no lead larger than the five-point advantage DBU took with 12:49 remaining before the break. The Patriots found the slimmest of margins late, getting a 3-pointer from reserve Cody Stevens to take a 27-26 lead in a half that featured eight lead changes.
Kay paced the Hilltoppers with eight points on 3-for-6 shooting and three rebounds, while TJ Thomas led DBU with eight points off the bench. St. Edward's shot 32 percent from the field, and DBU only 31.4 percent.
Bradley and Kay carried the Hilltopper offense early in the second half, finally finding seams in the Patriots' interior defense.
BLAKE NIELSEN added a 3-pointer, then found McManus for another from deep before Kay converted a free throw to give the Hilltoppers a 45-41 lead with 12:10 remaining.
The effort remained dialed up, but the fuel tanks began showing signs of running on fumes midway through the half. St. Edward's left points at the free-throw line with several missed opportunities — including four consecutive attempts — while Stevens converted a pair with 9:30 remaining to give DBU the lead for good in the middle of a 9-0 run.
Dallas Baptist continued its work on the offensive glass and paired it with 7-for-13 shooting from deep to finally create separation.
Drew Calderon sparked the surge with consecutive three-pointers that pushed the Patriots' lead to double digits, turning a tight contest into a 58–49 advantage with just over seven minutes remaining. DBU gradually stretched the margin the rest of the way, building a 16-point lead — the largest of the night — as the Hilltoppers struggled to regain their early offensive rhythm.
Bradley led St. Edward's with 17 points, while Kay added 16 points and eight rebounds. McManus finished with nine points and Courtney chipped in eight.
The Patriots finished with a decisive 50–34 rebounding edge and 18 second-chance points, advantages that proved pivotal down the stretch.
Despite the season-ending loss, St. Edward's closes the year with 25 wins and a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance — a sign of a program firmly reestablished among the region's contenders.
For a senior class led by all-time assists leader
BLAKE NIELSEN, the night marked the end of an era that helped return Hilltopper basketball to the national stage.
And for a roster that blended veteran leadership with emerging talent like Bradley, the foundation for what comes next is already firmly in place on the Hilltop.
