ST. GEORGE — A little more than 24 hours after the Utah Tech women’s basketball team made history, the Trailblazer men followed suit in dramatic fashion.
Frank Staine scored seven points in overtime, Dancell Leter added six points in the extra session and Cameron Gooden put in one of the finest performances in his career in an 80-76 victory over No. 6 Stephen F. Austin in the opening round of the Western Athletic Conference tournament.
No. 11 Utah Tech was the only underdog to win in WAC Vegas on Tuesday. Both the Utah Tech men and women earned their first-ever conference postseason tournament victories in the NCAA Division I era.
“What a gutty effort. These guys don’t quit,” Utah Tech head coach Jon Judkins told Voice of the Trailblazers Rod Zundel after the win. “Rebounding was huge late in the game. I love how hard we’re playing. Part of history.”
Leter set the tone in overtime when he stole the ball and threw down a two-handed flush, putting Utah Tech up 64-62.
After SFA answered with a bucket, Leter came back down the floor and threw in a 3-pointer. Latrell Jossell answered for the Lumberjacks and tied the score again, 67-67. Jossell ended up leading SFA with 17 points in defeat.
AND THERE IT IS!! HISTORY MADE ON THE MEN’S SIDE – FIRST D-I ERA POSTSEASON WIN! #UtahTechBlazers | #WACmbb | #WAChoops | #WACvegas https://t.co/M2T6GsjJ4G
— Utah Tech Men’s Basketball (@UtahTechMBB) March 8, 2023
Then Staine, who was all over the floor and finished with 18 points, canned a 3-pointer for Utah Tech. Later, Isaiah Pope took an assist from Jacob Nicolds and scored, converting the and-1 to give the Traiblazers a 74-71 lead.
Staine’s layup and two free throws down the stretch secured the historic win for Utah Tech.
Gooden led all scorers in the game with 22 points. He was gassed after leading the team in regulation and did not score in overtime. But teammates Staine, Leter (12 points), Pope (14 points) and Nicolds (nine points) all stepped up in the team win.
The WAC Vegas men’s tournament continues with four quarterfinal games in the Orleans Arena on Thursday.
No. 1 Sam Houston starts things off at noon (PT) against No. 8 Cal Baptist. Then No. 4 Seattle University takes on No. 5 Grand Canyon at 2 p.m. (PT).
Meanwhile, No. 2 Utah Valley tips off against No. 7 Tarleton State at 6 p.m. (PT) and the nightcap will pit I-15 rivals No. 3 Southern Utah against No. 11 Utah Tech. That game is slated for an 8 p.m. (PT) tipoff.
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