ALEXANDRIA, La. – The Louisiana Christian University men's basketball team will go to a Conference Tournament Championship Game for the second straight season as the Wildcats held (RV) Xavier without a field goal over the game's final five minutes and held off the Gold Rush for a 60-59 win in semifinals of the 2022 Red River Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship Tournament Monday evening at the Rapides Parish Coliseum.
 
For the second third game, the Wildcats had to overcome a slow start as for the second straight day, LCU found itself trailing 9-2 in the game's opening minutes. But a 7-0 Wildcat run tied the game as Bailey Hardy hit a three-pointer with 14 minutes left in the first half. The Gold Rush almost immediately pushed the lead back up to seven, and the flow of the first half was established that LCU would pull back close only to see Xavier extend the lead back out. The Gold Rush would hold a nine-point lead at 30-21 with less than 6:30 before the break. LCU went on a 10-2 run to make it a one-possession game again with 1:45 left in the half as a pair of made free throws by Malik Cooper pulled the Wildcats back to within two at 33-31. Xavier led 35-33 at the break.
 
LCU scored the second half's first four points to take their first lead of the game as a Malik Cooper jumper and a pair of free throws by Kae'ron Baker put the Wildcats up 37-35 just more than a minute into the second half. After Xavier reclaimed the lead at 42-41, a Jordan Adebutu three-pointer sent the Wildcats on a 10-4 spurt to claim their biggest lead of the game at 51-46 following another Adebutu long ball.
 
With the game tied at 54-54, Baker hit a pair of free throws that put the Wildcats up for good as Bailey Hardy blocked a Gold Rush shot on the defensive end and Baker fed the hot hand of Adebutu who swished another three to put the Wildcats up 59-54 with 6:30 left in the game. But at that point, the scoring almost stopped completely. Xavier scored two shots over the next minute to make it 59-58 LCU with five minutes left, but from there on, neither team hit a field goal for the remainder of the contest. KJ Bilbo finally ended the scoreless drought with 15 seconds left by making a free throw.
 
Now with a chance to tie or take the lead, Xavier got to the free throw long with three seconds left with a chance to even the score. However, a free throw was missed and the battle for the rebound resulted in a LCU turnover, giving Xavier one more chance to steal the game with 1.3 seconds left. However, Xavier would not get a shot up as the Wildcats drew an offensive foul before the ball was inbounded and LCU was able to run out the clock to preserve the win.
 
With Xavier doing everything in its power to neutralize him, Kae'ron Baker still lead the team in scoring as he hit four-of-eight from the field and made ten of his 14 free throw attempts to finish with 18 points. Jordan Adebutu hit four three-pointers and six total field goals on his way to 16 points. KJ Bilbo finished the game with seven points and six rebounds.
 
LCU's ability to get to the free throw line proved to be a major asset in achieving the win as the Wildcats outscored the Gold Rush 19-9 at the charity stripe, helping overcome a shooting disparity that was tilted towards the Gold Rush.
 
The Wildcats (15-13) advance to Tuesday's RRAC Tournament Championship Game, making it back-to-back seasons where LCU played in a Conference Tournament Final after getting to the ASC Championship Game a season ago. In the Final, LCU will meet up with #21 LSU Shreveport, who hit 20-of-29 from three on their way to a 50-point win over LSU Alexandria in the other semifinal. Tip-off of Tuesday's Championship Game against the #21 Pilots (22-7) is set for 5:30 P.M. at the Rapides Parish Coliseum.