The William Carey Crusaders clinched the Southern States Athletic Conference regular season title with a 111-89 win over Blue Mountain Christian at Clinton Gym in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Carey started strong, with Hughes hitting a jumper and Roberts making a three-pointer to open the scoring. The Crusaders quickly built a 6-0 lead, thanks to aggressive defense that limited BMCU to two points in the first three minutes. Blue Mountain Christian responded with baskets from Michael Hill and Esrael Yant, narrowing the gap to 8-6, but Carey pushed back with a 9-2 run highlighted by a dunk from Hughes, extending the lead to 17-8.
Carey’s momentum continued, aided by hot shooting from beyond the arc. By the seven-minute mark, Travis Williams’ three-pointer put the lead at 35-23. The Crusaders finished the first half strong, with Jenkins making three three-pointers in the final six minutes. Contributions from Malik Franklin, Troy Dunn, and Anthony Robinson on the boards helped Carey take a 58-35 halftime advantage.
Blue Mountain Christian opened the second half with two three-pointers, cutting the deficit to 16. Carey responded immediately, with Roberts making a layup and Jenkins hitting back-to-back threes to extend the lead to 21. The Crusaders maintained control, scoring 13 consecutive points in the paint and from free throws to push the lead to 81-63 over a seven-minute stretch.
In the closing minutes, Franklin, Dunn, and Seibou combined for seven three-pointers, sealing the victory and securing the regular season title. Five Carey players scored in double figures, led by Jenkins and Franklin with 24 points each. Dunn added 18, while Williams and Seibou scored 10 apiece. Hughes led the team with 11 rebounds.
With the title secured, Carey shifts focus to the SSAC Championship, scheduled for February 25-28 in Montgomery, Alabama. The Crusaders enter as the No. 1 seed and will face either Point University or UT-Southern on Thursday, February 26, at 6:15 p.m.
