Box Score BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-The Christian Brothers University Bucs used a 13-0 run early in the second half to take control, and they held on for a 67-64 win over No. 25 Delta State Saturday night in the semifinals of the Gulf South Conference Tournament, advancing to the championship game for the third year in a row.

The Statesmen (24-6) led for most of the first half after a 12-2 run put them ahead 20-12 on a Willie Readus put-back with 10:57 remaining. The Bucs (18-10) never let the lead grow past eight, and they made their run in the second half.

After taking a 34-32 lead into the locker room at half, DSU scored the first four points of the second half to take a 38-32 lead on a Devin Schmidt jumper with 17:31 remaining. Cory McArthy (St. Louis, Mo./Christian Brothers College HS) answered with a three-pointer to spark the Bucs' 13-0 run, and he capped it with a pair of free throws to give CBU a 45-38 lead with 13:36 remaining.

The Statesmen came as close as one point twice in the final 30 seconds, but McArthy and Charlie Oswald (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) each sank a pair of free throws to preserve the victory.

Harry Green (Memphis, Tenn./White Station HS) scored 15 of his team-high 18 points in the first half, while McArthy scored 15 of his 16 in the second half. Trey Casey (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle HS) scored 12 points with four assists and a game-high four steals. Ryan Fleming (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle HS) dished out  six assists to go with his four points.

Readus, the GSC Player of the Year, led the Statesmen with 27 points, adding eight rebounds. Cornel Knight scored 13, and Jack Madgen added 11. Schmidt, the GSC Freshman of the Year, scored only two points, but he grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds with four assists.

The Bucs shot 44.9 percent (22-of-49) from the floor to DSU's 47.1 percent (24-of-51), but the Bucs held DSU to 32.1 percent (9-of-28) in the second half after the Statesmen shot 65.2 percent (15-of-23) in the first half. DSU out-rebounded the Bucs 36-23, including a 10-5 edge in offensive rebounds, but the Bucs forced 11 DSU turnovers while committing six.

The Bucs advance to the GSC championship game for the third straight year, becoming the first team to be in three straight finals since Arkansas Tech accomplished the feat in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The Bucs will play North Alabama, an 87-79 winner over Valdosta State in Friday night's other semifinal, at 3:45 p.m. Sunday afternoon.