HOUSTON, TX- University of St. Thomas men's basketball team opened the NCAA Division III National Tournament with a 67-50 victory over Lewis & Clark, securing their spot in the Second Round.

The Celts set the tone early, jumping out to a 5-2 lead behind Andrew Adebo's free throws and a three-pointer. The Pioneers responded to tie the game at 5-5, leading to a back-and-forth first half. With UST up 16-15, Lewis & Clark took their first lead at 17-16 before a free throw by Reyce Allen tied the game again. Adebo followed with a three, giving UST a 20-17 advantage.

The Celts continued to build momentum, extending their lead to 26-18. The Pioneers cut into the deficit with free throws, but Charles Gitonga capped the first half with a buzzer-beating three-pointer, sending UST into halftime up 29-21.

Coming out of the break, the Celts pushed the lead to 36-24, fueled by a dunk from Nathan Kongolo and a deep three from Ricky Altamirano. UST's defensive pressure created key turnovers, helping them stretch the margin to 47-32 with eight minutes remaining.

Lewis & Clark made a late push, cutting the lead to 58-45, but Angel Johnson's layup extended the advantage to 60-48. The Celts continued to lock down defensively and pulled away for the 67-50 victory.

Angel Johnson led the way for the Celts, finishing with 15 points, 8 assists, and 5 steals, while maintaining a well-rounded game. Andrew Adebo contributed 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals, shooting an efficient 4-for-9 from the field and 2-for-2 from three-point range. Charles Gitonga added 9 points and 4 rebounds, highlighted by his key buzzer-beating three-pointer before halftime. Ricky Altamirano knocked down 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, totaling 8 points, while Nathan Kongolo recorded 6 points and 3 rebounds, including a momentum-shifting dunk in the second half.

Up Next

With the win, St. Thomas advances to the Round of 32, where they will take on Texas rival Hardin-Simmons in March Madness action on March 8 at 7:35 PM at the JAAC.