DEFIANCE, OH – The Mount St. Joseph University men's basketball team overcame a 12-point second half deficit and rallied for a 93-88 overtime win over Rose-Hulman Sunday, claiming the school's first Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament title. 

The No. 2 seed Lions outscored the Engineers 16-2 over the final 3:28 in route to a 93-88 win at Defiance College's Weaner Center. The Mount claims the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament set to begin next week, earning its first trip to the NCAA field.

Mount St. Joseph (18-9) shot the ball well from the field, posting a shooting percentage of 56.3% in the win.  The Lions connected nine times from behind the arc to help propel the victory.

Leading the way for Mount St. Joseph was senior guard Travis Combs (Manchester, Ohio/H.S.).  Combs led the scoring attack with 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting.  The senior added seven rebounds, earning the tournament Most Valuable Player award for his efforts

MSJ's Femi Thompson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Aiken) added 18 points, on 8-of-11 shooting, in the win, earning a spot on the all-tournament team.  Senior guard Joel Scudder (Greendale, Ind./South Dearborn) joined Combs and Thompson on the all-tourney squad, adding 14 points in the title game.

Rose-Hulman (17-11) was represented on the all-tournament team by seniors Matt Loesing (Elsberry, Mo./H.S.) and Tyler Duffy (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern).  Loesing led the Engineers with an HCAC tournament record 42 points, shooting 17-of-19 from the field, while Duffy added 16 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists in the title game loss Sunday.

Transylvania's Alex Jones (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier) earned the final spot on the all-tournament squad.

Mount St. Joseph will await its first round opponent in the NCAA Division III Tournament until the bracket is released. The announcement of the Division III men's basketball field will be presented via webcast on www.ncaa.com beginning at 12:30 PM Monday.