CLINTON, MS - Mississippi College won their 6th American Southwest Conference Championship in the ten years with a 77-64 win over Hardin-Simmons University Sunday in A. E. Wood Coliseum and capped off a 25-2 season.
The win also assures the Choctaws of a bid in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament for the 9th time in ten years.
The Choctaws were led by tournament MVP #Timothy Broomfield# who scored a game high 21 poitns, grabbed six rebounds, blocked six shots and had five steals. D. J. Jones and #Ryan Hudson# joined Broomfield on the All-Tournament team for the Choctaws.
HSU's Zach Pickelman and Michael Dinkins were All-Tournament selections. They were joined by McMurry's Alvin Stevens and Mary Hardin-Baylor's Kevin Guyden, both of whom lost in the semifinals.
MC started quickly scoring the first eight points of the game and led 17-10 with 10:51 remaining. HSU used a 14-7 run to tie the score at 24-24 and took their first lead of the game at 24-23 on a jumper from Zach Pickelman. MC entered halftime ahead 27-26.
The Choctaws opened the second half like the first outscoring HSU 18-5 to take a 45-31 lead. The determined Cowboys stayed in the game the entire second half and trailed 61-55 with just over three minutes remaining.
Broomfield sealed the game with a three-pointer to give MC a 67-59 lead with 1:34 remaining. MC hit 8-10 free throws in the final 1:14 to earn the victory.
#Ryan Hudson# was big for the Choctaws with 15 points and six rebounds. Senior Guard D. J. Jones scored 13 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out nine assists.
HSU was led by Zach Pickelman who scored 18 points. Charlie Pannell added 13 points with Michael Dinkins adding ten. HSU hit 7-15 three point attempts but shot just 40 percent from the field overall hitting 20-50 shots.
MC shot 50 percent for the game but hit 16-26 in the deciding second half. The Choctaws hit 24-30 free throws for the game with ten attempts coming in the final minute.
HSU was 17-20 from the line.
