Rockets End Greyhounds Season In First Round

These teams are meeting for the 3rd time this season, with ASU Mid-South winning both the previous two matchups. Don't be fooled, both games were very competitive and it took a last second shot for the Greyhounds to win the second game.

"This hurts. This really really hurts. We unfortunately put ourselves in a situation that we couldn't get ourselves out of. We had way too many mental lapses and just not paying attention. Too many unneccessary mistakes, and we still had a chance to win it in regulation but we didn't. Hats off to coach Pagan and his guys over there because they proved that they wanted this game more. They made some tough buckets in crunch time. They deserved to win this game. I feel really bad for our sophomore's, but that is what also makes March or late February so important. Any one can beat any one on any given night. You have to come with it. Darren, Samuel, and Davonta have been with me in my first two years as the head coach here. They trusted in me and believed in me, so selfishly I did not want our time to come to an end so quick. I can't thank those guys enough for everything they have been through with me. It wasn't easy, and there was definitely a lot of learning curves for us all. I can't forget about big dog, Hayden. Hayden transferred in from Northwest Mississippi and was just looking for a fair chance, and he earned everything he got this year. He meant more to our team than just on the floor as he was an important piece off the floor. All the guys love Hayden, and I couldn't be more proud that he wanted to come here. To our freshman, we have a lot of work to do. Good luck to SAU Tech moving forward." head coach Cody Hastings had to say after the game.

It took a couple minutes for the nerves of both teams to calm down, but once they did we were in for a good first half of basketball. It went back and forth, but it was ASU Mid-South who took a 32-27 lead heading into the half. It was the second half adjustment by coach Pagan and the Rockets that really had the Greyhounds offense stuck in the mud. The Rockets were able to push their lead to 51-39, before ASU Mid-South tried to get themselves back into the game. With just a minute remaining in the 2nd half, the Rockets would turn the ball over after trying to throw it in and the ball hit the rim to go out of bounds. Hugh McFarland would drive the baseline for a layup to give the Greyhounds the 60-59 lead with just under 50 seconds remaining. ASU Mid-South would get a stop, and get Jaxson Yancy at the free throw line shooting 2 with 14 seconds remaining. Yancy made the first one, but committed a lane violation so the 2nd shot was waved off, giving the Greyhounds just a 61-59 lead. SAU Tech's Ja'Varius Thompson drove right down the lane to tie the game at 61 with 5 seconds remaining, and Braylon Frazier's last second attempt was no good. 

Both teams would go back and forth in the overtime period before Braylon Frazier found Davonta Tucker on a dump down pass to give the Greyhounds back the lead with just over a minute left. This time, Thompson would give the Rockets the 70-68 lead on a tough layup before Frazier would respond to tie the game back up with 9 seconds remaining. SAU Tech's J'Bari Adams would finish through contact with just 1 second left which would end up winning the game for the Rockets.

Braylon Frazier led the Greyhounds in scoring with 18 and also grabbed 7 rebounds. Jaxson Yancy ended his stellar freshman season with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Darren Wallace with 15. Hugh McFarland and CJ Washington both finished with 6.

ASU Mid-South season ends with an 18-13 record overall. After starting the season 3-7 in the month, the Greyhounds bounced back and would win 15 of their last 21 games.