ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University Men's Basketball team defeated Marymount University in an overtime thriller on Saturday afternoon by a final score of 83-77, winning the 2025 Atlantic East Conference Championship.
 
DJ Earl produced a season-high 30 points in the biggest game of the year to lead the Knights. He added nine rebounds and four steals. Donte Dupriest had another double-double as he had 22 points and 15 rebounds. Both TJ Lewis and Bryan Etienne contributed 11 points each.
 
There was a feeling out process that started off the game as it was back-and-forth throughout the first six minutes of the game. With the score at 12-10 in favor of Marymount, Neumann went on a 13-0 run over the next 2:45 to take an 11-point lead. The Saints responded with their own 12-2 run to pull within one with 6:25 to go in the first. The Knights closed the last five minutes by scoring 12 of the next 20 points to lead 37-32 at the half.
 
Marymount pushed back to start the second half with a 16-9 push to take the lead at 48-46 with 14:33 on the clock. Neumann countered right back with a 15-point stretch over the next 4:51 to lead by 13. Again, the Saints had a response as, over the next eight minutes, they went on a 21-6 run for a two-point lead with 92 seconds left in regulation. Etienne, with 14 seconds left, drove the baseline and lofted in the tying bucket to force overtime.
 
The Knights were able to continue with momentum as they started with six of the first nine points. Marymount used free throws to their advantage going on a 5-2 run, all from the line, tying the game at 77. With 44 seconds left in overtime, Dupriest received the ball in the post, backed his way into the paint and lifted a right hand hook in for a two-point Knights lead. Late free throws from Lewis and Jarell Keel sealed the game and the championship, sending the Mirenda Center faithful into a frenzy.
 
In the postgame ceremony, Lewis was named the Elite 20 Award winner, signifying his hard work on the court and in the classroom. Dupriest, with his championship performance, was named the game's MVP.
 
With today's championship victory, the Neumann (20-7) has earned the Atlantic East's automatic bid to the 2025 Division III NCAA National Tournament. The selection show will be on Monday at noon and can be seen at ncaa.org. The national tournament is scheduled to begin this coming Friday.