CALDWELL, N.J. – It has been exactly 20 years since Post University Men's Basketball made its last appearance in the CACC Tournament Championship Game and in a season where there were significant highs along with bumps in the road, the Eagles looked primed for a run at their first title since the 2003-04 season. But similar to last year, Post ran into Jefferson University which was this year's top seed in the South Division and it would ultimately end their conference title hopes with a 70-58 loss.
 
But after such a strong start to the season with numerous wins against 2023 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament participants, the season may not be over just yet for the Eagles as they await tomorrow night's 11:00 PM NCAA Selection Show in hopes of getting an at-large bid into this season's tournament. If Post does get a bid, it would mark the first time in program history in which the Eagles qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

THE BASICS

N#2 Post University 58, S#1 Jefferson University 70

N#2 Post University (20-9)

S#1 Jefferson University (22-8)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Junior forward Deng Deang was on fire to start the game, helping Post jump out to a quick 8-2 advantage and lead by as many as nine points, 14-5, in the opening 7:30 of the affair. In the first 10 minutes of the game, Deang had a team-high eight points and six rebounds on 4-of-6 shooting to put the Eagles in front 14-10 while Post shot 7-of-16 (43.8%) from the floor in that span compared to a 4-of-11 (36.4%) start for Jefferson.
 
Despite leading by as many as 10 points with 6:38 left in the first half following a three from Deang, the Rams fought their way back into the game to tie it at 31 all heading into the halftime break. It started with a three by sophomore forward Justin Hawkins and a free throw from senior forward Antonin Kemkeng that got Jefferson within seven. While Post would re-up the lead to eight, 28-20, and hold it into the final three minutes of the half, that was when an 11-3 run ensued for the Rams leading to their first lead of the half following nine straight points to make it 29-28. Junior point Robert Sanders responded with a three and junior guard Erik Timko's free throws before the horn did it for the first half of action.
 
Timko led the way for the Rams at the break with nine points while Deang nearly had a double-double in the first half with 11 points and eight rebounds on 5-of-9 shooting with one three.
 
Outscoring Post by a margin of 39-27, the Rams took the lead on a three from junior guard Ahmed Barba-Bey after junior point guard Bol Akot opened the half with a jumper and never looked back. An 8-0 run for the Rams that gave them a 45-35 edge with 14:58 left in regulation would be substantial enough to hold up the rest of the way for Jefferson to punch their ticket to the CACC Championship Game on Sunday.
 
Slowly dwindling their deficit down to one, 48-47, with 9:08 to go on a layup from Akot, momentum shifted back in Jefferson's favor with Kemkeng's and-one make as Post twice more got within a point of tying but were always met with a basket by the Rams to stifle any momentum they had. With the score just 60-56 and still 3:51 to go, the backbreaking blow for the Eagles would come in the form of a 5-0 run from Timko and junior forward Bismark Nsiah that proved enough to put things out of reach for Post who came short of their first championship appearance since 2004 with a 70-58 defeat.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Four scorers finished in double figures for Jefferson University as Erik Timko led the way with 19 points followed by Nsiah Bismark with 15 points and then both Ashton Miller and Antonin Kemkeng scoring 10 points each
• After scoring 11 first-half points and corralling eight rebounds, Deng Deang was held to four points and two rebounds to finish with his eighth double-double of the season (15 points, 10 rebounds)
• Post University finishes the conference season with an 0-2 record when tied at the half
• Jefferson has won six of their last seven matchups in the all-time series against Post with the sole win for the Eagles coming on February 4^th, 2023 in a 76-61 win at home

WHO'S NEXT
Post University will await the NCAA Selection Show in hopes of receiving an at-large bid into the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament which is set to take place at 11:00 PM tomorrow night.