[NCAA video recap] [Photo gallery]

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Playing in front of a hostile crowd of 5,965 fans, nearly all of which were pulling for the hometown Screaming Eagles, the Point Loma men's basketball team defeated the University of Southern Indiana, 81-71, to advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship.
 
The Sea Lions will face No. 1 seed Northwest Missouri State in the championship game on Saturday, Mar. 30 at Noon (PST). The game can be seen nationwide on CBS.
 
This win was one of the most impressive and hard-fought victories of the year, as Point Loma had to overcome multiple obstacles, including the playing an away game in the Final Four, to reach the first national championship game for PLNU in any sport at the Division II level.
 
PLNU opened the game on a 10-0 run and built their lead to as many as 14 points in the first half (28-14). However, foul trouble got to the Sea Lions at the end of the period, and it opened the door for the Screaming Eagles to close the gap. USI scored the 16 of the final 19 points of the half to cut the Sea Lions' lead to just one point at the half (31-30).  
 
The second half saw the Sea Lions continue to maintain their lead, but USI cut it to a single possession multiple times, but PLNU would not relinquish their lead. After the Screaming Eagles cut the lead to four (61-57) with 7:09 left, PLNU went on a 7-0 run to capture its first double-digit lead of the second half.
 
Southern Indiana would not go away. It cut the lead to four (71-67) with less than two minutes remaining, and had a chance to get even closer with two free throws. However, USI missed both free throws and Josh Rodriguez was able to drive the lane and get a layup on the next possession to stretch the Sea Lions' lead back to six (73-67).
 
Rodriguez then made six free throws in the final minute as eight of his 10 points came in the final 67 seconds of the game. USI would miss their final four field goal attempts of the game, while PLNU made its final five shots and 8-of-10 free throw attempts in the final 44 seconds.
 
Hommes led four Sea Lions in double figures with 20 points. Ziggy Satterthwaite added 16 points and eight rebounds. Preston Beverly matched Satterthwaite with a team-high eight rebounds to go along with his 12 points. Rodriguez chipped in with 10 points, and Sterling Somers was a perfect 4-for-4 off the bench to post nine points. Alex Stein led USI with 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
 
Team Records
#6 Point Loma (31-4), #7 Southern Indiana (26-9)
 
Turning point
Point Loma led throughout the contest, but the game was not decided until the final minutes. Josh Rodriguez had the biggest basket of the game when he drove the lane and made a contested layup with 1:07 left to stop the Screaming Eagles' momentum and put PLNU back up six (73-67). He and Hommes would close USI out from there with eight free throws in the final 48 seconds.  
 
Words from coach Looney and the student-athletes


News and Notes
> The 31 wins match the most in PLNU men's basketball history (1952-53)
> This is the first time USI has ever lost in the Final Four (3-0 previously)
> PLNU is 27-1 this season when holding their opponents to 75 points or less
> Men's basketball is now 5-1 all-time in NCAA postseason play
> The Sea Lions improved to 13-0 in games in which it wins the turnover battle
>  Due to foul trouble, PLNU's starters played together just 10:10 minutes all game (+13 in those minutes)
> Hommes scored in double figures in all 35 games this season, including eclipsing the 20-point plateau 19 times
> Hommes is averaging 23.0 in NCAA playoff games
> This is the first time the West Region has been to an NCAA Championship since Western Washington won the title during the 2011-12 season

Up Next
The Sea Lions will face No. 1 seed Northwest Missouri State (37-0) in the championship game on Saturday, Mar. 30 at Noon (PST). The game can be seen nationwide on CBS.