Midwestern State’s Chris Hagan delivered the game-winner with :58 seconds to go as the Mustangs topped Central Missouri, 60-59, in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional championship game.
The Mustangs (31-2) advance to the Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass., and will face St. Cloud State, an 84-75 winner over Augustana in the Central Region final, on Wednesday, March 24 at 11 a.m. CST.
MSU led by as many as 14 in the first half and took a 26-19 advantage into halftime. UCM fought back with a 21-1 run that put them ahead by six with 16:09 left in the game. The Mules also had a six-point lead (59-53) with 3:02 to play.
But consecutive lay-ups by Mustang senior Jason Ebie cut the deficit to two, before Hagan added one free throw with 1:35 remaining. A turnover by UCM set-up Hagan’s go-ahead jumper.
The Mules had one more opportunity to win the game but Tremaine Luellen couldn’t get a shot off in time, sparking a celebration in D.L. Ligon Coliseum. MSU advances to its first Elite Eight appearance since joining the Lone Star Conference in 1996.
Senior Craig Green carried the Mustangs in the opening 20 minutes with 13 points and finished with team-high 24. Hagan added 15 points including 13 in the second-half.
The Mules (27-4) were paced by Sanijay Watts with a game-high 29 points and nine rebounds. Alex Mossmann added 13 points with six assists.
MSU avenged a season-ending 80-72 loss to UCM in the 2009 regional final.
South Central Regional All-Tournament Team
MVP – Craig Green, MSU
Jason Ebie, MSU
Chris Hagan, MSU
Sanijay Watts, UCM
Alex Moosmann, UCM