Conference finals roundup: Lipscomb, High Point, Drake, Omaha reach NCAAs

Lipscomb defeated North Alabama 76-65 in the Atlantic Sun Conference championship game on Sunday in Nashville, Tenn., to secure its second title in program history.

Led by 23 points from Joe Anderson, 17 from Will Pruitt and 16 from Gyasi Powell, the top-seeded Bisons (25-9, 14-4 ASUN) drained 40.4 percent of their field goals and 12 of 27 (44.4 percent) from 3-point range.

Lipscomb will play in the NCAA Tournament for the second time. The first came in 2018.

Jacari Lane poured in 18 points for the second-seeded Lions (24-10, 14-4), Corneilous Williams added 15 and Will Soucie had 10.

High Point 81, Winthrop 69

The Panthers rallied in the second half, outscoring the Eagles by 22 to win the Big South championship game in Johnson City, Tenn., and earn their first berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Bobby Pettiford scored 17 points and Kezza Giffa added 16 for No. 1 seed High Point (29-5, 14-2), which trailed by 10 at halftime. Abdoulaye Thiam chipped in 12 while Trae Benham posted an eight-point, 10-rebound effort in the win.

No. 3 seed Winthrop (23-11, 11-5) had five players score in double figures, led by Kelton Talford's 15-point, eight-rebound effort. Bryce Baker and Nick Johnson added 11 points, while K.J. Doucet and Kasen Harrison had 10 apiece.

Drake 63, Bradley 48

Bennett Stirtz scored 24 points and Tavion Banks added 13 to lead the top-seeded Bulldogs over the second-seeded Braves in the Missouri Valley championship game in St. Louis.

Drake's conference title secured its eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its third in a row.

Drake (30-3, 17-3) drained 21 of 46 shots (45.7 percent) and 6 of 15 3-pointers while outrebounding Bradley 32-19, including 11-3 on the offensive glass. Banks added nine rebounds, while Stirtz, Cam Manyawu and Kael Combs each had four.

Darius Hannah led Bradley (26-8, 15-5) with 19 points, Duke Deen chipped in eight and Christian Davis had seven. The Braves shot just 41.5 percent from the floor and 25 percent from beyond the arc.

Omaha 85, St. Thomas-Minnesota 75

The top-seeded Mavericks swept the Summit League's regular-season and tournament titles led by conference player of the year Marquel Sutton, who collected 22 points and a championship-game record and career-high 18 rebounds in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Teammate J.J. White poured in a game-high 29 points for Omaha (22-12), which earned its first regular season and postseason titles at the NCAA Division I level. White was 10 of 14 from the floor, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and added five assists.

Lance Waddles contributed 15 of the Mavericks' 22 bench points. Omaha shot 49.1 percent (28 of 57) from the floor, including 9 of 23 from beyond the arc, and outrebounded St. Thomas 42-31.

The second-seeded Tommies (24-10) were led by Nolan Minessale's 20 points and Miles Barnstable's 14. Kendall Blue had nine points and 10 rebounds. The team shot 40.3 percent (25 of 62) on field-goal attempts, with 10 of 35 from long range, and was 15 of 24 at the foul line.

--Field Level Media