CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - All Season long, the Mid-Continent University basketball team has put itself in a position to hame to overcome deficits early in games. On Saturday, that pattern caught up to the Cougars at the worst time.

Tennessee Temple University (22-11) scored the first 12 points of the NCCAA's Mid-East Regional Championship game, and though Mid-Continent (18-14) battled back to tie the game late in the second half, the Cougars were unable to pull in front, falling to the Crusaders, 80-72.

The Crusaders surged out of the gate, opening the game on a 12-0 run, and Mid-Continent did not score until the 17:00 mark, when Gavin Scott converted a pass from Charles Peden to trim the deficit to 10 points at 12-2. The basket jump-started the Cougars, and Mid-Continent clawed their way pack into the game, quickly pulling to within four at 13-9 and again at 15-11 with 13:20 to play in the half. Mid-Continent eventually closed to within three points at 31-28, but in the final 2:46 of the half, the Crusaders stretched their lead back out, and at the break, Mid-Continent found themselves trailing by nine, 43-34. Tennessee Temple pushed the lead back to 10-points early in the second period, but Mid-Continent quickly battled back to trail by only three when Lee Ames knocked down a 3-pointer with 13:53 left in the game. Just a minute and a half later, Ames buried a fade away jumper to bring the Cougars level at 51-51. The teams split the next 12 points, trading baskets for the ensuing two minutes, then the Crusaders put together an 8-0 run to take the lead 65-57 at the 6:17 mark. Scott pulled Mid-Continent within four points with 4:47 to play, but that was as close as the Cougars were able to get. Tennessee Temple kept the Cougars at bay as time ticked away, claiming the win and the Regional Championship, 80-72.

Antonio Davis led the Cougars offensively, scoring 19 points in his final game as a Cougar, and three of his teammates joined him in double figures. Scott tallied 15 points in the game, Ames scored 12, and Charles Peden finished his Mid-Continent career with a 10-point effort. Scott and Peden each grabbed seven rebounds, with the two players notching seven and five assists, respectively.

The loss ends the second best season in Mid-Continent basketball history, as Mid-Continent's record of 18-14 trailed only that of the 2009-10 team which boasted a record of 24-13.