HOUSTON, TX-- St. Thomas (TX) is headed to the Elite 8 for the first time in program history. The Celts improved to 29-1 on the season after holding off a late push from WashU to secure a 65-63 victory, punching their ticket to Fort Wayne, Indiana. With the win, UST continues its historic season and now moves one step closer to a national championship appearance.
UST set the tone early, jumping out to a quick 8-4 lead behind strong interior play and a fastbreak finish from Corey Thompson. The Celts kept attacking the paint and extended the lead midway through the half when Thompson knocked down a three-pointer to make it 11-4.
WashU responded with a scoring run fueled by Connor May, who hit back-to-back threes to cut the deficit to 13-12 with just over 11 minutes remaining in the half. But UST answered behind its frontcourt, as Charles Gitonga and Nathan Kongolo controlled the boards and created second-chance opportunities. A Brennan Webb three-pointer pushed the Celts ahead 27-22, and Gitonga followed with a tip-in to extend the margin to 29-22. WashU kept fighting late in the half, trimming the lead to three before Webb buried another clutch three in the final seconds, sending St. Thomas into halftime with a 34-28 advantage.
The second half opened with more dominance from Gitonga, who scored on a tip-in and converted the free throw to stretch the lead to 37-28. St. Thomas continued to maintain control, eventually building its largest lead of the game when Nathan Kongolo finished a fastbreak play and converted the and-one to make it 46-34 with just over 15 minutes remaining.
WashU refused to go away. The Bears led a surge midway through the second half, scoring seven points during a rally that cut the deficit to 50-45. Still, UST responded again, with Kongolo and Angel Johnson scoring inside to keep the Celts ahead. With under two minutes remaining, a layup by Nicholas Buffalo pushed the lead to 64-52, seemingly sealing the win. WashU made one last push, hitting a three-pointer with nine seconds left to cut the score to 65-62, but St. Thomas held on defensively in the final seconds to secure the 65-63 victory and advance.
The win marks another milestone for a Celts team that has rewritten the record books all season.
UST was led by Charles Gitonga, who recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds while controlling the paint throughout the game. Nathan Kongolo added 11 points along with seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals in a strong all-around performance. Corey Thompson also finished with 11 points, providing key scoring at important moments, while Brennan Webb contributed 10 points and knocked down both of his three-point attempts to help keep the Celts in front.
Up Next
St. Thomas will now travel to Fort Wayne, Indiana for the Elite 8, where they will face Christopher Newport University on March 19 with a spot in the Final Four on the line.
