MARSHALL, TEXAS - Southwestern University Men's Basketball outscored the Tigers 22-10 in the final eight minutes to take down East Texas Baptist University on the road, 72-68. The Pirates open stuck together down the stretch winning the clutch moments in an impressive fashion for a team with a lot of new faces. Southwestern has won two games in a row against ETBU in the
Matt Streich era after losing three straight before the new staff arrival.
Southwestern Basketball entered 2026-27, losing 70% of the teams scoring and replacing them with multiple freshman and transfers. The staff went out and found talent from around the country as the Pirates started junior
Zander Kamai from Arizona, junior
Elijah Thomas from Virginia, junior Mason Lawerence from Georgia, and returners sophomore
Neo Franco and senior
Zach Gomez.
The Pirates started the game, showing they will continue to spray it from outside as Gomez and Thomas connected on early threes, 6-6. However, the offense went stale with only 18 points in the first 12 minutes, down 26-18.
Eyal Shamri came off the bench to give pivotal scoring, but still found themselves down eight at halftime, 35-27.
Kamai was key to the Pirates comeback in the second half on both ends as back-to-back threes from Kamai and Gomez tied the game at 37. The Pirates found themselves down 58-50 before turning the tides at a timeout and finishing the game on a 22-10 run.
Sawyer Batz started the run with a dagger three, while Thomas made it a one point game at 59-58. Kamai hit a three to finally take a 62-61 lead as Franco hit clutch free throws down the stretch to ice it.
GAME NOTES
- Southwestern had five different scorers in double-figures.
- Kamai led the squad with 16.
- He was followed by Shamri (13), Thomas (11), Gomez (10), and Franco (10).
- Franco also had six boards and five assists, scoring all ten points at the line.
- The 2025-26 squad struggled at the line as this team went 17 for 23.
- Southwestern went 30% from the field in the first half but 54% in the second.
UP NEXT
Southwestern will host Texas Lutheran University on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The Pirates will celebrate Senior Day on game one for
Drey Moss and Gomez minutes before tip.
