Tweet #theGAC  SHAWNEE, Okla. – A fast start to the second half propelled fourth-seeded Southern Nazarene to a 77-74 upset win against regular-season champion Southeastern Oklahoma State in the first Great American Conference Men’s Basketball Championships semifinal from FireLake Arena.
 
Trailing by a point, 32-31, at the intermission, the Crimson Storm (21-9) scored the first 16 points of the second half to build a double-digit lead they would enjoy until the final two minutes of the day.
 
One day after not making a field goal and scoring just one point, Adokiye Iyaye led the victorious Crimson Storm with 24 points. Nick Davis added 14 points and nine rebounds. Xavier Bryant dished out a game-high eight assists for SNU paired with 10 points and six rebounds.
 
GAC Player of the Year Adam Dworsky connected on six three-pointers and finished with a game-best 26 points for Southeastern (24-6). The Savage Storm also received a double-double of 17 points and a dozen rebounds from Ante Brzovic. Senior Bobby Johnson tallied 13 on 6-of-9 shooting from the field.
 
The Crimson Storm built their largest lead at 17 when a Manny Dixon jumper pushed the SNU advantage to 64-47 at the 6:43 mark before the Savage Storm made a late charge. Three Dworsky 3-pointers and a pair of Brzovic baskets in the final 2:30 helped the Savage Storm cut into the disadvantage, but SNU sank 8-of -12 free throws during the last 49 seconds to score its first win against a higher seed ever at the GAC Championships.
 
Southern Nazarene, the 2018 and 2019 GAC Tournament champion, seeks the school's third postseason crown on Sunday afternoon with a 1:00 p.m. start against Southern Arkansas or Southwestern Oklahoma State. The Crimson Storm split its regular-season meeting with both the Muleriders and Bulldogs.
 
Southeastern Oklahoma State, the sixth-ranked squad in the final regular-season NCAA Division II Central Region rating, awaits their NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday evening.