XENIO, Ohio -- SEU Men's Basketball continued its December surge Tuesday night, as
Jayson Nixon buried a go-ahead three-pointer with 2.5 seconds remaining to lift the Fire to an 86–83 win over Rio Grande at the Athletes in Action Christmas at the Wooden tournament.
The victory marked SEU's ninth straight win, the program's longest winning streak since opening the 2017–18 season with 11 consecutive victories. With the result, the Fire advance to the final of their bracket and will face Marian on Wednesday, at 7:15 p.m.
In a tightly contested game that featured six lead changes and six ties, Southeastern leaned on its balance and late-game composure. Nixon finished with a game-high 24 points, knocking down 5-of-9 from three-point range, including the decisive shot that capped a dramatic final minute. The senior guard also added four assists and three steals in 36 minutes of action.
Daivion Traylor was dominant in the paint, recording a 23-point, 12-rebound double-double while shooting 8-of-10 from the floor. Traylor's presence on the glass helped SEU generate 12 second-chance points, a key factor in the one-possession victory.
Mylo Santos added 15 points, while
Nathan Mikkelson chipped in nine points and seven rebounds, anchoring the Fire inside on both ends of the floor.
Southeastern shot an efficient 57.1 percent from the field and an impressive 60.0 percent from beyond the arc, countering a strong offensive effort from Rio Grande, which shot over 50 percent overall. The Fire held a slim 41–38 halftime lead and answered every Rio Grande run in the second half, never allowing the game to slip away despite multiple late ties.
After Rio Grande tied the game at 83 with 21 seconds left, SEU calmly set up its final possession. Nixon rose from the perimeter and delivered the moment of the night, drilling the game-winner and sealing another gritty win during the Fire's holiday stretch.
With momentum firmly on their side, Southeastern now turns its attention to Marian, seeking a bracket title and a 10th consecutive victory to close out the tournament.
