Ticket punched: Unselfish Lumberjacks repeat in the Southland

Stephen F. Austin is going back to the NCAA tournament for a second consecutive season after beating rival Sam Houston State 83-70 for the second year in a row in the Southland Conference championship game

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The Lumberjacks lead the nation in assists at 17.8 and that characteristic helped them win their second straight title Saturday with 15 assists on 26 made field goals. Thomas Walkup led Stephen F. Austin with 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

The teams were locked in a tight contest through most of the first half but Stephen F. Austin gained some separation just before halftime and never looked back. The Lumberjacks pulled off an upset last year in the tournament getting by VCU in the first round but eventually losing to UCLA.

The Lumberjacks could be one of those dangerous No. 12 seeds that seem to upset a No. 5 seed each year. Their best win might be a December victory over a mediocre Memphis team. They also took Northern Iowa to overtime before losing by a basket.

This is a team with tournament experience that doesn’t mind sharing the basketball. It’s an opponent others won’t be happy to see themselves paired against Sunday night.

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[Kyle Ringo is the assistant editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KyleRingo