NACOGDOCHES, Texas (AP) — Taylor Smith had 17 points and 12 rebounds as Stephen F. Austin clinched the outright Southland Conference regular-season title with a 58-49 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday.
The Lumberjacks (26-3, 16-2 Southland), who have won five straight, will carry the top seed into the conference tournament and get a bye into the semifinal round on Friday. It is their third regular-season Southland championship, following back-to-back titles in 2007-08 and 2008-09. The 26 victories this season also match the 2007-08 squad for the most since the program joined Division I in 1986-87.
Desmond Haymon added 16 points and Antonio Bostic had 14 for Stephen F. Austin.
Will Nelson scored 15 points and Johnathan Jordan had 13 points and eight assists for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (6-23, 5-13), which concluded its season and is ineligible for the postseason because of poor results in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate.
