There is a reason they call the month of March “Madness.”
A role player who only received honorable mention All-LSC honors for the regular season can come to the LSC Championship in Frisco and carry his team to a title.
Brandon Hall scored a career-high 32 points in Sunday’s tournament final as the top-seeded Buffs claimed back-to-back tournament championships with a 57-55 win over No. 2 seed Texas A&M-Commerce at Comerica Center.
But it wasn’t without a fight to the end as the Lions’ Willie Rooks heaved a half-court shot just before the final buzzer that hit the backboard to preserve the win for the Buffaloes, who have now won 15 straight games and improved to 31-3.
The win also secured WT’s No. 1 ranking in next week’s South Central Regional tournament in Canyon, Texas. The Lions fell to 23-8 but should also have a spot in next week’s regional as they entered the weekend ranked fifth before claiming two victories in Frisco.
Hall, who was named the tournament’s MVP, was the Buffs’ fifth-leading scorer heading into the tournament and his previous season-high was 24 points against these same Lions back in January.
But after scoring 22 points on Saturday in the semifinals against Tarleton State, Hall picked right up where he left off, scoring the game’s first two baskets and then later a 3-pointer to give WT a 10-0 lead. When Hall drained his second 3-pointer, the Buffs led 18-3 and it looked as if the No. 1 seed would steamroll to another easy win.
But the Lions wouldn’t go away, thanks to Rooks, who recorded a triple-double in Saturday’s semifinal win. On Sunday, Rooks would post a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Trey Conrad added 13 points and 11 points. Both players were on the LSC’s all-tournament team.
The Lions trimmed the lead to 31-26 by halftime and in the second half, Commerce put a real scare into WT, even grabbing the lead twice in the final two minutes. Reggie Reid gave the Lions a 53-52 with 1:55 to play on a short jumper. Hall answered for the Buffaloes with a layup for a WT lead, only to have Rooks come back with a driving layup to give the Lions a 55-54 edge with 1:26 left.
WT’s Joel Murray gave his team the lead with a layup and then after a Commerce missed shot, Hall got the rebound but was fouled and injured, forcing Murray to the free throw line. He made just one shot, giving the Lions a shot to tie or win. But Reid’s baseline jumper was off the mark with six seconds to play. WT missed the free throw on the other end but Rooks only had time for a desperation half-court shot that clanged off the backboard.
Murray was the only other WT player in double figures, scoring 10. Qua Grant had seven points and four assists, and Ryan Quaid, the LSC Player of the Year, had four points and nine rebounds.
2019 Lone Star Conference Men’s Basketball Championship All-Tournament Team
Randall Broddie, Tarleton State
Trey Conrod, Texas A&M-Commerce
Willie Rooks, Texas A&M-Commerce
Qua Grant, West Texas A&M
Brandon Hall, West Texas A&M (MVP)
West Texas A&M Notes:
- West Texas A&M now has the most LSC Championship titles with eight, surpassing Midwestern State (seven).
- The Buffs improved to 8-5 all-time in tournament final games, including 2-1 against Texas A&M-Commerce.
- West Texas A&M became the first LSC team since Tarleton State (2013-14) to win consecutive titles. The last time the Buffs won back-to-back titles occurred in 1990 and 1991.
- Brandon Hall, the tournament MVP, scored a career-high 32 points. His previous high this year was 24 against Commerce.
- Hall’s 32 points ties him for 15th for most points scored in an LSC Championship game in any round. Since the conference moved the tournament to a neutral site in 2008, only three players have scored more than Hall’s 32.
- Hall’s 32 points are the most by a player in the LSC Championship final since the tournament went to a neutral court in 2008.
Texas A&M-Commerce Notes:
- After recording a triple-double on Saturday, Rooks posted a double-double on Sunday with 19 points and 10 rebounds, but had no assists after his career-high 10 the day before.
- The Lions fell short of their first LSC Championship title since 2015, when they won three games as the No. 4 seed and cut down the nets in Allen, Texas for the fourth time in school history.
- A&M-Commerce has reached an LSC Championship final 10 times but fall to 4-6 overall including 1-2 against West Texas A&M.
- The Lions made 10 3-pointers on Saturday to reach the finals, but could only get five triples, shooting 5 of 15.