EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Point Loma's historic run ended with the Sea Lions as NCAA Division II national finalists. Point Loma came into the Elite Eight as the No. 6 seed and knocked off the No. 3 and the hometown team, to reach the championship. Awaiting them in the title game was undefeated, and No. 1 seeded Northwest Missouri State (38-0). Point Loma tried to spoil their bid of a perfect season, and battled with the Bearcats until the final minute, before falling 64-58.
 
Daulton Hommes, who was earlier this week voted the NABC Division II Player of the Year, shined with the television cameras of CBS on him. He scored 26 points and went 10-of-10 at the free throw line. Preston Beverly also had a big game with 15 points and nine rebounds. Joey Witthus led NWMS with 24 points.
 
The looks for either team did not come easy as both defenses were on display throughout the game. Point Loma was held to its second-lowest point total of the season and to just 3-of-17 from 3-point range. NWMS scored 19 points below its season average, and the 64 points were tied for the second-fewest the Bearcats had scored all season.
 
When the game started, the Sea Lions took a few minutes to adjust to the Bearcats. NWMS jumped out to a 10-4 lead before PLNU made changes. The Sea Lions fought back and took a 24-23 lead on a layup by Preston Beverly with 4:09 remaining. After an and-1 dunk by Hommes, PLNU went up 29-26 for their largest lead of the half. Unfortunately, PLNU was not able to carry that lead into the locker room. The Bearcats scored the final seven points of the half, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to take a 33-29 halftime lead.
 
The Sea Lions opened the second half on a 5-0 spurt to take a one-point lead (34-33). The teams then traded baskets until Hommes was hit with his second and third fouls just seven seconds apart. He went to the bench, and that is when the Bearcats seized momentum with an 8-2 run to go in front 48-40.
 
That was one of the two bad pieces of luck for Point Loma in the second half. The other was the Bearcats twice throwing up shots to beat an expiring shot clock, both of which went in. The first was by Trevor Hudgins after he lost the ball in the lane. The second was nearly from half court after the Sea Lions had poked the ball free. Joey Witthus grabbed it and chucked up a shot with less than a second on the shot clock, and it banked in to give NWMS its largest lead of the night (56-46).
 
The Sea Lions kept working and cut the deficit in half following a pair of Hommes' free throws with 1:35 remaining. The Bearcats had the answer though. Witthus drove and dished to Ryan Hawkins for a layup that put NWMS up seven (61-54) with a minute to go. PLNU tried to answer on the other end with Hommes, but the official saw the same move he did the possession before as a foul this time and whistled Hommes for the offensive charge and the turnover.
 
Despite the call, PLNU still had a chance after a missed layup. The Sea Lions got a couple of looks from behind the arc with about 24 seconds left but were unable to knock them down, before falling 64-58.
 
Team Records
#6 Point Loma (31-5), #1 Northwest Missouri State (38-0)
 
Turning point
The third foul on Hommes not only sent him to the bench but ignited the crowd which was mostly NWMS fans. It also gave the Bearcats a little extra energy as they would push their lead from two points to eight points shortly thereafter.
 
News and Notes
> The 31 wins match the most in PLNU men's basketball history (1952-53)
> This was PLNU first appearance in the NCAA Championship game in any sport
> This was the first loss while holding an opponent under 75 points since November (27-2)
> The Elite Eight set an attendance record at a single-site with 18,870 fans
> Besides Hommes, Point Loma was just 1-of-7 from the free throw line
> After coming into the game ranked second in the country in 3-point percentage (.418), Point Loma shot just .176 percent from 3-point range in this contest
> Hommes scored in double figures in all 36 games this season, including eclipsing the 20-point plateau 20 times

Words from coach Looney and the student-athletes