WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Men's Basketball dropped its final game of the season to Southeastern in a close 68-63 final.

Despite the loss, the Bulldogs advanced to the GAC Championship Tournament as the No. 7 seed. SWOSU finished in a five-way tie for sixth place, but survived the hectic tiebreaker scenarios to claim their spot in the postseason. They will face No. 2 seed Ouachita Baptist in the quarterfinal round at noon on Thursday, March 5, in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The Dawgs' lone GAC Tournament title came in 2022, when they also entered the week as the No. 7 seed.

Southeastern came out with a fire lit inside them, needing a win to enter the GAC Tournament field. Just 14 minutes into the game, they held a 34-16 lead. The 18-point margin was the largest of the game, thanks in part to one of the four threes Deondre Dunn made without a miss in the first half to pace the SE offense. The Bulldogs closed the half well, however, going on a quick 10-0 run to make it a more manageable 41-32 game at the break.

SWOSU scored 11 of the first 13 points to tie the game just five minutes into the second half, dominating inside the paint. The Bulldogs finished with a 36-20 advantage near the basket. The Dawgs, however, could not pull the game firmly in their favor, as their largest lead was just four points. At the six-minute mark, Southeastern took the lead back and never gave it up, as the shooting success slowed for SWOSU while SE kept its foot on the gas pedal to close out the Bulldogs on their home court, securing the No. 6 seed in the upcoming GAC Tournament.

Shooting splits favored Southeastern, as SWOSU shot just 42.2% from the field and 25% from deep, while the Savage Storm went 47.1% from the floor and 42.3% from three-point range, their second-highest percentage from beyond the arc all season. Despite dominating the paint, the Bulldogs attempted just five free throws, tied for their lowest total of the year.

Kayden Carter had a productive game with 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists, including three dunks. Elijah Jordan added 14 points while grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds. Tobias Roland contributed 12 points, hitting multiple shots from beyond the three-point line. Those players, along with Vance Raney, who earned the starting nod, were honored before the game for Senior Day.