MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Christian Brothers University (10-15, 6-13 GSC) overcame a halftime deficit with a dominant second-half performance to secure a 71-66 victory over the University of West Florida (7-19, 6-14 GSC) on Saturday afternoon at Canale Arena. The Buccaneers capitalized on key scoring runs and strong performances from Christian Thompson, Allen Hughes, and Tane Kirisome to complete the comeback.

Despite trailing 34-31 at halftime, Christian Brothers responded with a 40-point second half, fueled by a combination of defensive stops and efficient shooting inside. Thompson led all scorers with 19 points, adding five rebounds and six assists, while Hughes finished with 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Kirisome added 14 points, and Kyler Mann contributed six points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

West Florida was led by Elijah Wyche, who posted 18 points, five rebounds, and four blocks, while Xavier Glenn added 15 points off the bench.

First Half: A Battle of Momentum Swings

The game opened with a battle of momentum swings. Christian Brothers grabbed an 8-0 lead within the first four minutes, sparked by fast-break layups from Hughes and Kirisome. However, West Florida quickly answered with a 7-0 run of their own, highlighted by Wyche's presence in the paint and a three-pointer from Shay Davis, cutting CBU's lead to 8-7 at the 14:27 mark.

The teams continued to trade baskets throughout the half, with neither gaining significant separation. Christian Brothers maintained the lead until the four-minute mark when another trey by Davis tied the score at 24-24. 

West Florida gained the lead for the first time shortly after tying the score and maintained it through the halftime buzzer. The Bucs subsequently took a 34-31 deficit into halftime.

Second Half: Christian Brothers Seizes Control

Christian Brothers surged ahead after the first media timeout of the second half. A three-pointer by Kirisome was followed up by a pair of fast-break layups from Hughes to give CBU a nine-point advantage, 51-42, at the 13:53 mark.

The Argos proceeded to chip away at another well-established lead by CBU until the teams reached a deadlock again at 58-58 with 6:12 remaining in the contest.

The Bucs responded with a 8-0 spurt, highlighted by a wide-open three-pointer from Iman Kheirati, that put them in the driver's seat shortly after the final media timeout. UWF clawed back to within four points, but had to resort to fouling afterwards. Thompson and Hughes both hit clutch free throws down the final stretch to seal the critical victory late in the season. 

Points of Emphasis

The Buccaneers dominated in fast-break opportunities, outscoring West Florida 16-5 in transition, while also outpacing them in points in the paint (42-38). Christian Brothers finished the game shooting 45.8% from the field (27-of-59) and 81.3% from the free-throw line (13-of-16), while West Florida shot 44.4% (28-of-63) and 77.8% from the line (7-of-9).

Postseason Implications

With the victory, Christian Brothers moved into a three-way tie with Auburn Montgomery and West Florida for ninth place in the conference standings. Lee's win today put the Flames a game ahead. The top eight teams in the conference qualify for the GSC Tournament. Lee's two remaining games include CBU and Union. The Bucs will host Valdosta State on Monday at 5:30 p.m. before the all-important clash with Lee.