Royals Rally Past Bryan College in Thrilling Light Blue Night Victory

KNOXVILLE, TN– In front of a packed house at Douglas E. Karnes Arena, the Johnson University Royals delivered a gutsy 86-84 win over Bryan College on Light Blue Night. The thrilling victory keeps Johnson in the hunt for a potential national tournament berth, as they now have multiple pathways to qualification.

Head coach Logan Sharp expressed immense pride in his team's resilience. "Super proud of the guys. You know, that kind of opens up a three-way possibility to get to the national tournament, whether it's an at-large, winning the conference tournament, or possibly coming in second and the first-place team winning it," Sharp said. "I told the guys, if you lose tonight, you got one path. If you win, you got three. Super excited for how the guys just battled. We were down 10 in the second half. We just battled and battled. I told the guys before the game, toughness wins. Somehow, we were one play better than they were tonight, so we'll take it and move on."

Game Recap

The Royals started strong, taking a 45-40 lead into halftime. However, Bryan stormed back in the second half, at one point building a 10-point advantage. Johnson refused to fold, responding with key defensive stops and clutch baskets to claw back into the game. A crucial late-game push sealed the narrow two-point victory.

Key Performers

• Toris Woods led the Royals with a game-high 27 points, shooting 12-of-23 from the field.

• Mason Lockhart provided a strong inside presence, finishing with 19 points and nine rebounds.

• Isaiah Poore was sharp from beyond the arc, hitting four three-pointers and tallying 20 points.

• Tyler Moore and Ben Rice contributed key defensive plays in the closing moments.

Electric Atmosphere Fuels Royals

Coach Sharp credited the home crowd for providing an unparalleled atmosphere. "The environment was the best NAIA environment in America tonight," Sharp said. "We don't win that game without them."

The Royals capitalized on their home-court energy, scoring 46 points in the paint and forcing Bryan into 13 turnovers, which led to 19 points off turnovers.

Looking Ahead

With the win, Johnson improves to 18-8 overall and 14-5 in AAC play. As they prepare for their final regular-season game, the Royals remain firmly in the postseason conversation. For schedule updates and playoff implications, visit JohnsonRoyals.com.