Box Score

Thomas Senior forward Justyn Watkins had an attempt, at a deep three hit, the rim with two seconds to play and a TU put back attempt was also rejected by the rim at the buzzer, as Men's Basketball (16-12, 9-9) fell short against NAIA #13 Northwood University (22-6, 13-4), 87-85, on Monday night at the TU Gymnasium in the Night Hawks regular season finale.

Junior guard Max Grace knocked down a three from downtown 2:30 into the game to give TU an early 8-2 advantage, sophomore center Andrea Robinson extended TU's lead forty seconds later with a bucket from inside the paint to give the Night Hawks an eight point advantage. The teams exchanged buckets over the next couple of minutes before another three by Grace would give TU a 21-9 lead with under fourteen to play. Junior guard Keldrick Davis would make it a 15 point game with a bucket at the 9:30 mark. Northwood connected to close the gap but another TU run and a three by junior guard Rodney Sturkie would give the Night Hawks their largest lead of the half at 19. Northwood closed out the half with an uncontested lay-up, to make it a 52-38 game at the break.

Northwood opened the second half with six unanswered points, cutting the lead to single digits, 52-44, for the first time since the 14:30 mark in the first half. A monstrous dunk by Robinson, with 15:15 to go, seemed to put TU back in a position to take control of the game but the officials called a technical foul on the play for hanging on the rim, sending NU to the line for two which they would convert to make it a seven point game. The Sea Hawks on the strength of a 17-7 run cut the lead to four points with under fourteen minutes to go in the game. Baskets by both teams would be followed by a three off the hand of Watkins to once again give TU a seven point advantage. Grace would follow with another three to make it a ten point game at 69-59 and a break-away dunk by Watkins made it twelve with ten to play. The Sea Hawks showed their experience down the stretch making it a two point game, 80-78, with 5:25 to go and cutting it to one with a free throw seconds later. Northwood would take their first lead, since the first minute of the game, with a lay-up to make it an 83-82 game with 3:22 remaining. A free throw by Watkins would tie the game at 83 but Northwood would re-take the lead, 85-83, before Watkins knotted it once again. A Northwood would lay-up, with nineteen seconds to go, would prove to be the game winner.

Prior to tip-off the Night Hawks honored their only senior, Justyn Watkins, with a half court ceremony. Watkins, in his only season with program, leads the TSC in scoring, averaging 23.29 points per game. His scoring average ranks #10 in the nation for NAIA Division 2. He is also top five in the TSC in shooting percentage, shooting 52% from the field. Watkins did not disappoint the home crowd, which gave him a standing ovation during the pre-game ceremony, finishing with a game high 34 points.

The Night Hawks conclude their inaugural regular season and will now shift their focus to the 2014 TSC Tournament. TU, seeded #5, will face the #4 seeded and NAIA #20 Embry Riddle University on Saturday March 1^st at 7PM in Daytona Beach, Fla.