Tweet #theGAC SHAWNEE, Okla. – Southwestern Oklahoma State became the lowest seeded team in the 11-year history of the Great American Conference to win the Men’s Basketball Championship title as a standout second-half performance carried the Bulldogs to a 66-58 win against fourth-seeded Southern Nazarene on Sunday from FireLake Arena.
 
For the first time in their three 2022 GAC Championship games, the Bulldogs (14-16) faced a deficit as they trailed throughout the first half. The second half featured seven lead changes in a five-minute span. They took the lead for good, 47-45, on a 3-pointer by Kamden Gipson.
 
After turning in dominating first-half performances against Oklahoma Baptist and Southern Arkansas, the Bulldogs shined in the second half, connecting on 13-of-21 shots, including 5-of-9 from the 3-point arc. Damion Thornton, the Tournament MVP scored a team-high 17 points. He added nine rebounds, five assists and two steals.  Gipson hit four 3-pointers en route to scoring 14 points.
 
The Bulldogs became the eighth different school to win the GAC Men’s Championship in the league’s 11-year history.
 
Adokiye Iyaye and Xavier Bryant led the Crimson Storm (21-10) with 12 points apiece. Nick Davis added nine points and nine rebounds. Davis averaged 13.7 points and 7.7 rebounds to make the All-Tournament Team, as did Iyaye.
 
Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Adam Dworsky - the league’s Player of the Year – and Ante Brzovic, the Conference’s Freshman of the Year made the All-Tournament Team. The Southern Arkansas tandem of Jalen Brooks and Devante Brooks rounded out the eight-man team.
 
The Bulldogs earned the GAC automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Championships. They will make their second-ever appearance as they previously made the Tournament in 2005. For head coach Terry Evans, he will make his eighth trip to the NCAA Tournament. He made seven in a nine-year span from 2003 to 2011 while coaching at Central Oklahoma
 
The NCAA will announce the field of 64 at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday night. The selection show streams on NCAA.com.