Box Score Game Summary / GameDay Preview

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team entered Thursday's championship game of the Bill Merris Tournament with just one blemish on its schedule through eight games — not to mention a five-game winning streak.

Host Illinois College, meanwhile, also entered Thursday's title tilt with just one loss, sporting a 5-1 mark that included a three-game win streak — and a three-year run as the Bill Merris Tournament champion.

Something had to give when the two teams squared off for their first-ever meeting.

And thanks to Will Wright (Chicago, Ill.), that something was the host Blueboys' reign as the tournament champ, as the Cardinal senior knocked down a jumper with 1.5 seconds remaining to lift SMU to a 61-60 victory.

“It was a great game from start to finish,” said SMU coach Todd Landrum, whose team earned a spot in the tournament's title game with a 66-59 double-overtime win over Millikin on Wednesday. “(Illinois College) is a really, really good team — they're big and strong, and played us tough all the way.”

Wright scored a game-high 24 points, earning him tournament MVP honors, while Chris Palmer (Faribault, Minn.) and Lukas Holland (La Crosse, Wis.) chipped in 15 and 12 points, respectively, to join Wright on the all-tournament team.

After trailing by seven (32-25) at the half, and by 10 (40-30) two minutes into the second half, the Cardinals battled their way back, using a 27-12 — capped by a 3-pointer from Palmer and a layup by Wright — to take their biggest lead of the game, 57-52, with 4:18 remaining in regulation.

The Cardinals held a 59-57 lead with 35 seconds left, only to have the Blueboys' Craig Balls knock down a 3-pointer to give Illinois College a 60-59 lead with 16 seconds on the clock — and set up Wright's last-second heroics.

“We weren't at our best in the first half, but the guys just got after it in the second half,” said Landrum. “We rebounded and defended very well — we had a lot of guys play very well.”

The Cardinals — whose 8-1 start to the season is the second- best in program history — return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Monday, traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a 7:30 p.m. showdown against unbeaten and nationally ranked St. Thomas.