RICHARDSON, Texas  — Hardin-Simmons' men's basketball team outlasted Texas-Tyler 104-101 in triple overtime in the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament on Friday afternoon at the UTD Activities Center.

The Cowboys battled back from an 11-point second-half deficit to force the game to overtime. HSU trailed 54-43 with 15:07 to play in regulation. However, HSU responded with a 13-4 run to cut the deficit to 58-56. Darius Singletary had seven points in the run and it was capped by a Charles Sams 3-pointer.

HSU finally took its first lead of the second half on a Jeff Holland free-throw line jumper with 5:37 to play at 65-63. The game was tied four times and there were six lead changes in the second half. 

Darren Houliston made a three-point play to tie the game at 71 and Tyler Hassell gave the Patriots a lead with a 15-foot jumper with :55 to play. After an HSU turnover Tre Potter missed a jumper with :13 to play and Eric Taylor drove the ball into the paint but his floater was off but Andy Spears was right there to lay it back in with :01.4 seconds to play. Travis Dykman's desperation attempt was no good. Dykman had beat the Cowboys in the regular season with a similar shot.    

In the first overtime neither team led by more than three points. Eric Taylor split a pair of free throws with :13 to play and Hassell tied the game with another jumper and Taylor's shot at the buzzer was long.

HSU jumped to a 89-83 lead in the second overtime on back-to-back 3-pointers by Sams and John Derr. UTT eventually tied the game at 92 on a 3-pointer by Joe Stephens. John Derr had a look at a game winner with :05 to play but it came off to force a third overtime.

The Cowboys had to play Sams and Caleb Hogan the last two overtimes after Bernard Stiggers, Holland and Singletary had fouled out.

Hogan gave the Cowboys a lead in the third overtime with a jumper and HSU never trailed after that. HSU took a 100-96 lead on back-to-back baskets by Taylor. Potter then hit a 3-pointer and Spears answered with a jumper. Stephens came back with a layup and Derr hit a pair of free throws with :20 to play. Stephens missed a late 3-pointer and the Cowboys advanced to the semifinals.   

Spears led the Cowboys with 28 points and 14 rebounds. Derr had 22 points and 12 rebounds and Taylor had 17 points, nine assists and six rebounds and played all 55 minutes. Singletary had 14 points.  

Stephens led six Patriots in double figures with 22 points. Houliston had 17 points and 19 rebounds. 

The Cowboys improved to 16-10 on the year and Texas-Tyler ends its season with a record of 18-8. HSU will play Mary Hardin-Baylor at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the semifinals.  

--- HSU ---