Cowboys Set For ASC Tournament
By: Chad Grubbs, HSU Sports Information
Updated: February 21, 2013
ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' men's basketball team will look for its first American Southwest Conference title as it plays in the 2013 ASC Championship Tournament in Richardson this weekend.
Hardin-Simmons comes into the tournament with a record of 15-10 and as the No. 3 seed out of the ASC West. The Cowboys will play Texas-Tyler (18-7) in the first round at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at Texas-Dallas in Richardson.
The Cowboys are making their sixth appearance in the American Southwest Conference Men's Basketball Championship Tournament. It is the Cowboys' third straight trip. In the five previous trips to the tournament, the Cowboys have won at least one game. HSU has reached the ASC Championship on two different occasions (2007 and 2012). HSU is 7-5 all-time in the tournament.
HSU went 5-5 against the other seven schools in the tournament this season. The Cowboys were 3-1 against the ASC East teams and 2-4 against the ASC West qualifiers.
HSU averages 74.4 points per game and allows 76.2 per outing coming into the tournament. The Cowboys are comfortable playing at any pace. HSU shoots 43 percent from the field and holds opponents to 42 percent. The Cowboys also have a 2.5 rebound per game advantage this season.
In the first meeting with UTT the Patriots shocked the Cowboys with a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer by Travis Dykman in a 73-72 win. Darius Singletary had just scored to give HSU a 72-70 lead with 3.7 seconds to play. Singletary led the Cowboys with 19 points and six assists in the game and Eric Taylor had 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Darren Houliston had 30 points to lead the Patriots.
Texas-Dallas (19-6) won the East Division title for the fifth straight season, will begin play at 7:30 p.m. Friday against West Division No. 4 seed Schreiner (11-14). The Comets are allowing a league-low 59.8 points per game. Schreiner is making its second straight ASC tournament appearances after never having qualified before that.
Mary Hardin-Baylor (21-4), a two-time conference champion, went 17-2 in league play and has won 12 of their last 13 games, begin in the first quarterfinal Friday at noon against the East Division's No. 4 seed, LeTourneau (11-14). LeTourneau returns to the ASC tournament for the first time since 2009.
Concordia Texas (20-5), which is second in the nation in scoring (96.1 ppg) and has also set a program single-season record for victories, will serve as the West's No. 2 seed. The Tornados will battle East Division No. 3 seed Mississippi College (15-10) at 5 p.m. Friday. MC has won a record five conference titles (1999, 2002-03, 2006-07) and is the only team to have qualified every year.
The semifinals are scheduled to tip-off Saturday at 2 p.m. (UMHB-LETU winner vs. UT TYLER-HSU winner) and 4:30 p.m. (CTX-MC winner vs. UTD-SU winner), with the championship game coming Sunday at 2 p.m.
HSU fans can listen to the HSU broadcast on www.hsuathletics.com and UTD is offering a free video broadcast at cometsports.utdallas.edu/showcase
Hardin-Simmons comes into the tournament with a record of 15-10 and as the No. 3 seed out of the ASC West. The Cowboys will play Texas-Tyler (18-7) in the first round at 2:30 p.m. on Friday at Texas-Dallas in Richardson.
The Cowboys are making their sixth appearance in the American Southwest Conference Men's Basketball Championship Tournament. It is the Cowboys' third straight trip. In the five previous trips to the tournament, the Cowboys have won at least one game. HSU has reached the ASC Championship on two different occasions (2007 and 2012). HSU is 7-5 all-time in the tournament.
HSU went 5-5 against the other seven schools in the tournament this season. The Cowboys were 3-1 against the ASC East teams and 2-4 against the ASC West qualifiers.
HSU averages 74.4 points per game and allows 76.2 per outing coming into the tournament. The Cowboys are comfortable playing at any pace. HSU shoots 43 percent from the field and holds opponents to 42 percent. The Cowboys also have a 2.5 rebound per game advantage this season.
In the first meeting with UTT the Patriots shocked the Cowboys with a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer by Travis Dykman in a 73-72 win. Darius Singletary had just scored to give HSU a 72-70 lead with 3.7 seconds to play. Singletary led the Cowboys with 19 points and six assists in the game and Eric Taylor had 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Darren Houliston had 30 points to lead the Patriots.
Texas-Dallas (19-6) won the East Division title for the fifth straight season, will begin play at 7:30 p.m. Friday against West Division No. 4 seed Schreiner (11-14). The Comets are allowing a league-low 59.8 points per game. Schreiner is making its second straight ASC tournament appearances after never having qualified before that.
Mary Hardin-Baylor (21-4), a two-time conference champion, went 17-2 in league play and has won 12 of their last 13 games, begin in the first quarterfinal Friday at noon against the East Division's No. 4 seed, LeTourneau (11-14). LeTourneau returns to the ASC tournament for the first time since 2009.
Concordia Texas (20-5), which is second in the nation in scoring (96.1 ppg) and has also set a program single-season record for victories, will serve as the West's No. 2 seed. The Tornados will battle East Division No. 3 seed Mississippi College (15-10) at 5 p.m. Friday. MC has won a record five conference titles (1999, 2002-03, 2006-07) and is the only team to have qualified every year.
The semifinals are scheduled to tip-off Saturday at 2 p.m. (UMHB-LETU winner vs. UT TYLER-HSU winner) and 4:30 p.m. (CTX-MC winner vs. UTD-SU winner), with the championship game coming Sunday at 2 p.m.
HSU fans can listen to the HSU broadcast on www.hsuathletics.com and UTD is offering a free video broadcast at cometsports.utdallas.edu/showcase
