HCU Huskies fall to Georgia Southern, 80-62

Photo courtesy of HCU Media Relations Department

By Chris Price
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

STATESBORO, GEORGIA  (November 29, 2025) On Saturday, the HCU Huskies fell to Georgia Southern Eagles 80-62 at the Hill Convocation Center. The game stayed close for about 30 minutes, but the Eagles pulled away late.

Early in the game, the Huskies got a strong start. Elijah Brooks (shown left) dunked the ball, and Demarco Bethea added a basket to give HCU a 6-5 lead. Later, Brooks scored again on a fast break, giving the Huskies a 14-12 edge with about 9:43 left in the first half.

But the Eagles fought back. Spudd Webb scored seven straight for Georgia Southern and helped lead a run that put the home team ahead 19-14. By halftime, the Eagles led 34-27.

In the second half, the Huskies tried to climb back in the game. Ryan Bartley hit a three, and Bethea scored inside, cutting the lead. But Georgia Southern kept hitting shots, including several three-pointers, forcing HCU into turnovers, turning those into easy points.

For HCU, Brooks led with 12 points. Bartley and Bethea each added 11. But HCU struggled with shooting, only 41%, and Georgia Southern was sharper, hitting 48% from the field and 40% from three-point range.

The loss drops HCU to 4-3 on the season. The Huskies will return to Texas for their next game on Tuesday against the North Texas Mean Green in Denton.

HCU Huskies win season opener with new head coach Craig Doty

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loco Photography
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 4, 2024) Houston Christian University started its basketball season strong with a big 86-59 win over the Avila (MO) Eagles at Sharp Gymnasium on Monday night. This win also marked a successful debut for HCU’s new head coach, Craig Doty, the ninth head coach in school history, who took over after Coach Ron Cottrell’s 33 years at the helm.

The game didn’t start off smoothly for the Huskies, as they had a slow opening, but they quickly turned things around. Trent Johnson got the scoring started with a three-pointer just 10 seconds in, and soon after, Bryson Dawkins added a driving layup. Midway through the first half, though, Avila closed the gap to just one point, making it 13-12.

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loco Photography
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

The Huskies then found their groove, sparked by plays from Ivan Reynolds and Julian Mackey. A 24-8 run helped HCU finish the half with a comfortable 37-20 lead. They carried that momentum into the second half, extending their lead with strong performances from Dawkins, who scored eight points in two minutes, and Demari Williams (shown above), who added two back-to-back dunks.

HCU’s defense held Avila to just 39.3% shooting, and their offense fired with contributions from players across the roster. Dawkins led with 18 points, while Williams and Mackey chipped in with 11 each, and Bazil added 10. Overall, four Huskies scored in double figures, showcasing the team’s balanced approach.

With a 1-0 record, the Huskies now prepare for a challenging road trip. They will face No. 19 Texas in Austin on Friday and then travel to play No. 15 Creighton next Wednesday. HCU will be back at home on November 16 to host Rockford University.

RESULTS: Second Round, Day 1 Results from NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championships.

PASADENA, TEXAS (March 18, 2023) The first slate of eight games in the second of  the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament on Saturday, March 18 are completed.  My predictions saw five correct outcomes, broken down by correct predictions and three upsets (My picks. They are underlined).

CORRECT SELECTIONS

No. 5 San Diego State 75, No. 13 Furman 52  

No. 1 Houston 81,  No. 9 Auburn 64  

No. 2 Texas 71,  No. 10 Penn State 

No. 2 UCLA 68,  No. 7 Northwestern 63 

No. 1 Alabama 73, No. 8 Maryland 51

INCORRECT SELECTIONS

No. 4 Tennessee 65, No. 5 Duke 52 

No. 8 Arkansas 72, No. 1 Kansas 71  

No. 15 Princeton 78, No. 7 Missouri 63   

Radford, St. Bonaventure advances to Round of 64 in NCAA men's basketball tournament

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

DAYTON, TEXAS (March 13, 2018) With two of the "First Four" games of the 2018 NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Tournament completed, two teams will advance to the round of  64 with two more to be determined on Wednesday, March 14.

The No. 16 Radford Highlanders (23-12) downed the No. 16 LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (18-17) by the score of 71-61 at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. With the win, the Highlanders head to Pittsburgh to face No. 1 Villanova (30-4) at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday, Match 15.

In the second game of the evening, No. 11 St. Bonaventure came back down the stretch to beat No. 11 UCLA, 65-58. The Bonnies will take on No. 6 Florida at American Airlines Arena in Dallas on Thursday.