By Eric Montgomery | NAIA Media Relations

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – (Box Score) Sophomore guard Cory Blau hit the game-winning jumper with 7.1 seconds remaining to lift unseeded Westmont (Calif.) to a 70-69 win over No. 1-seeded Hope International (Calif.), Monday evening in the semifinal round of the 2015 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship in Municipal Auditorium. The Warriors will face No. 6-seeded Dalton State (Ga.), a 64-54 winner over No. 2-seeded Talladega (Ala.), on Tuesday, March 24 at 7:00 p.m. CDT on ESPN3.

Blau hit the game-winner from the right elbow after Hope International had taken the lead with 16 seconds to play on a floater in the lane by Kenny Morgan. The Royals got a final chance to go back in front at the buzzer, but Morgan missed on a 17-footer.

“First of all, I have to start with Hope International. They are an incredible team and we are very fortunate,” said Westmont head coach John Moore. “Every time we took a lead, they came back and made big shot after big shot. They hit a big shot at the end and it looked like it might have won the game for them. But we put the ball in our best guy’s hand and Cory Blau had no hesitation. He buried that shot.”

Playing to the adage that it is difficult to beat a team three times in one season, Westmont went looking for redemption from two regular season losses to the Royals during Golden State Athletic Conference play. The Warriors took a 9-8 lead on two free throws by Daniel Carlin at the 15:20 mark of the first half and led until Morgan’s shot in the final seconds.

Westmont (25-10) used those free throws to open up a 15-2 scoring stretch that lasted nearly eight minutes, holding Hope International to a single field goal for 11:08 for a 22-10 lead. Austin Sanford ended the drought with a bucket in the paint, and the Royals managed to trim five points off the 12-point deficit and finish the half facing a 34-27 gap.

Hope International would keep the game close throughout the second half, closing within a single point on a three-point play by Morgan with 8:25 remaining. Westmont would get the lead back to as much as six at the 2:35 mark before the Royals closed to 68-67 with 45 seconds to play, setting up the final sequence of plays.

“This team has been a surprise,” said Moore. “This team was 7-6 at the beginning of the season. They have been a team that has had firm belief. They have been a team that is incredibly unselfish.”

The Warriors shot 46.4 percent from the field (26 of 56) and converted 13 of 15 free throws while committing just nine turnovers. The Royals were a bit better from the field, hitting 26 of 53 field goal attempts (.491) and matched the Warriors’ free throw line, but gave up one more three-point shot (5-4) and turned the ball over 12 times.

Carlin led the way for Westmont with 16 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Blau finished with 13 points. Hayden Anderson and Samuel Bentz each chipped in with 10 points and combined for seven rebounds with Bentz dishing out three assists.

Our guys played really hard and fought back,” said Hope International head coach Bill Czech. “They showed the character, will, and toughness that they have shown all year long. Hats off to Westmont. They played a great game and they were very well prepared.”

Morgan led all scorers with 20 points for Hope International to couple with three rebounds and three assists. Matt Green tallied 13 points and four rebounds, while Sanford added 11 points and six rebounds.

Hope International finished its season with a record of 32-3.

Game Notes:
Westmont – Appearing in third overall Fab Four – lost its previous two semifinal games; 86-82 (OT) in 1984; 71-63 in 1999… Improves to 21-16 overall in the national championship in 17 overall appearances… Looking to become the first unseeded team to win the national title since 2011 (Pikeville (Ky.)… The championship final will feature one GSAC school, which will be the third time in the last four years… Won for the first time on the year against Hope International – the two Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) opponents played twice earlier this year with Hope International taking both games, 72-68 and 75-62… Ranks in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense and has held all four opponents in the championship tournament under 70 points… Entered tonight’s game as the leader in the tournament field in shooting percentage (.543) – tonight they shot 46.4 percent (26-of-53)… Gerald Karczewski averaged 11.3 points in three previous games in the championship – tonight he finished with zero points.

Hope International – Appeared in first-ever Fab Four … Falls to 5-3 in the championship in its third overall trip … The Royals are the first No. 1-seeded team since 2012 (Shorter (Ga.)) to qualify for the Fab Four … Had its 11-game winning streak snapped ... With 20 points, Kenny Morgan now has reached at least 10 points in 21-straight games... As a team, has now made at least 10 free throws in seven-straight games … Green averaged 17.8 points in four championship games… Green also was effective at the free throw line during the championship, going 18-for-20 overall (.900).