KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -James Spencer scored 25 points and Mountain State beat top-seeded Georgetown, Ky., 78-65 in the semifinals of the NAIA tournament Monday night, ending the Tigers’ bid to become the first unbeaten team in 18 years to win the small-college championship.
Spencer, the NAIA’s second-leading scorer this season, had 16 points in the first half as the fifth-seeded Cougars (34-2) seized a 42-31 halftime lead and barged into the finals for the third time in six seasons.
Georgetown (35-1), a traditional NAIA power that has piled up 25 or more wins for 17 straight seasons, never led and was never able to find a rhythm for what had been the NAIA’s second-leading offense.
The Cougars, who led the NAIA with a .390 field goal percentage defense, held Georgetown to 41 percent shooting and just 4-of-22 from behind the 3-point arc. Georgetown’s 65 points were 28 below its season average.
After falling behind early, Georgetown hit five straight shots in one stretch. But the Cougars were almost as hot, with Spencer drilling three straight 3-pointers. His third gave the Cougars a 25-13 lead.
Demetrius Guoins had 12 points and nine rebounds and scored five quick points to shave Mountain State’s lead to 45-39 five minutes into the second half.
Jarvis Jackson drove to the basket a moment later, put a spin move on Georgetown’s Jerry Turner, and completed a three-point play that gave the Cougars a nine-point lead and all the momentum.
David Graham, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Georgetown, completed a three-point play and Guoins followed with a bucket that got the Tigers to within 50-44 with 11:40 to go. Then Spencer drilled his fifth 3-pointer and Adron Marshall canned a pair of free throws, hiking Mountain State’s lead back into double digits.
The Cougars of Beckley, W. Va., who beat Georgetown in the semifinals en route to the 2004 NAIA championship, will meet the winner of the Oklahoma City-Campbellsville semifinal for the title on Tuesday night.
Jackson had 16 points for Mountain State, including 10 of 14 foul shots. Jackson hit five straight free throws midway through the second half. Marshall had 13 points and Rod Green had 10 for the Cougars.
Georgetown guard Gus Chase, the Mid-South Conference player of the year, had 13 points.
Spencer was 5-of-7 from behind the 3-point arc.
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