The St. Edward’s University men’s basketball team saw its season come to an end on March 15, with a 102–72 loss to the Midwestern State University (MSU) Mustangs. The teams had their matchup in the opening round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional at Dallas Baptist University.
The Hilltoppers entered the NCAA tournament following a strong postseason showing in the Lone Star Conference Championship. They advanced to the semifinals after a first-round win over St. Mary’s University but were eliminated the next day, earning an at-large bid and securing the fifth seed in the national tournament with a 21-12 record heading in.
St. Edward’s got on the board first with a bucket from junior forward Jamison Kay, but the Mustangs quickly took control. Midwestern State responded with a 9-0 run and maintained momentum through the first half. Out of the first media timeout, MSU extended its lead with a 14-7 stretch, capped by back-to-back 3-pointers, pushing the score to 23-9 and prompting a timeout from the Hilltopper bench.
Kay answered with two baskets of his own, followed by a 3-pointer from senior guard Gavino Ramos. Additional contributions came from Lewis Rowe, Latiek Briscoe and Connor McManus, but the Mustangs’ perimeter shooting and up-tempo offense continued to stretch the deficit. MSU closed the half on a dominant run, taking a 55-29 lead into the locker room.
“We got the plays we wanted,” Kay said. “But the shots just weren’t dropping how we wanted.”
Kay opened the second half with two quick scores, briefly swinging momentum back toward St. Edward’s. But just four minutes in, head coach Andre Cook was assessed back-to-back technical fouls and ejected from the game. Assistant coach Jeff Evans took over coaching duties for the remainder of the contest.
Despite the early setback, the Hilltoppers continued to compete. Sam McKinney sparked the second-half energy with a 3-pointer and a block on the defensive end. The highlight sequence was followed by back-to-back dunks from McKinney and Kay, and a fast-break assist from McManus to Rowe.
Ramos added a pair of pull-up 3-pointers, while Rowe contributed a spin-move layup and drew a charge from Wonder Kahozi on the defensive end. The Hilltoppers showed resilience throughout the half, but MSU’s offense remained consistent, keeping the game out of reach.
In the final minutes, senior Jake DeFranza knocked down a bucket, followed by back-to-back scores from Travon Williams. Senior Luke Kiser added two free throws to close the game, bringing the final score to 102-72 in favor of the Mustangs.
St. Edward’s finishes the 2024–25 season with a 21-13 overall record and a 14-8 mark in Lone Star Conference play. The game marked the final collegiate appearance for Hilltopper seniors Ramos, Rowe, DeFranza and Kiser, who each contributed on the court and as leaders throughout the season.
