With no tournament experience between the two teams, the Buccaneers  (29-2) responded best under pressure during the stretch run.

Junior guard Grant Pope made a short jumper from the middle of the lane with 1 minute, 15 seconds left, breaking a 58-58 tie. Conrad Masberg added a free throw with 26.1 seconds left.

“I’m a pass-first, shoot-second kind of person,” said Pope, who finished with nine points and seven assists. “I was looking for somebody to pass to, but I was only
three feet from the basket. I decided to put it up, and it went in.”

Zimmerman (22-9) misfired on three three-pointers in the final 10 seconds, the last of which was blocked by Tate Harmon.