DELAND, Fla. (Interstat) — In a tense ASUN Conference rematch decided in the final seconds, Donte Bacchus scored 23 points and Dallas Howell swatted away a potential game-winning shot as North Alabama edged Stetson 68-66 on Saturday at Edmunds Center.

The victory avenged a 70-67 home loss to the Hatters just 30 days prior and snapped a two-game skid for the Lions.

North Alabama (7-13, 2-5 ASUN) led for nearly the entire contest, building a 34-29 halftime advantage behind the interior work of Bacchus and the defensive presence of Howell. The Lions maintained a slim but persistent lead throughout the second half, weathering multiple pushes from Stetson (8-15, 3-4).

The Hatters, led by a game-high 23 points from Collin Kuhl, finally drew even at 64-64 on a Finley Sheridan layup with 58 seconds remaining. After a North Alabama timeout, Bacchus missed a jumper, but Stetson’s Jake Johnson secured the rebound with 23 seconds left, setting up a final possession for the home team.

With the clock winding down, Stetson guard Calvin Sirmans drove and dished to Kuhl cutting toward the basket. Kuhl’s layup attempt with 15 seconds to go was met and cleanly blocked by Howell, his fourth rejection of the game. The ball caromed out of bounds to Stetson, but the block proved to be the game’s pivotal defensive stop.

On the ensuing inbounds play with 14 seconds left, Sirmans fouled North Alabama’s Canin Jefferson. Jefferson made the first free throw to put the Lions up 65-64 but missed the second. Stetson’s Sheridan grabbed the rebound, but his outlet pass led to a chaotic sequence. Kuhl eventually collected the ball and scored another layup, putting Stetson ahead 66-65 with just 2 seconds remaining.

North Alabama immediately called a full timeout. On the final inbounds play, Jefferson was fouled again by Sirmans, sending him back to the line with 1.4 seconds on the clock. Jefferson calmly sank both free throws to reclaim a 67-66 lead for the Lions.

Stetson’s last-ditch attempt, a long inbound pass and a rushed three-point heave by Johnson from well beyond the arc, was off the mark as time expired, sealing the narrow road win for North Alabama.

Howell finished with 18 points and four blocks for the Lions, while Jefferson added 10 points and a career-high 10 assists. Corneilous Williams contributed 10 rebounds. For Stetson, Sheridan posted a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds, and Sirmans handed out six assists.

The game was a defensive struggle, with both teams shooting an identical 6 for 21 from three-point range. North Alabama’s slight edge came from a better overall field goal percentage, 48.1% to Stetson’s 40.4%, and a critical 36-34 advantage in points in the paint. Stetson’s 15 points off 11 North Alabama turnovers kept them in contention, but the Lions’ seven steals and five blocks, highlighted by Howell’s last-minute heroics, provided the necessary margin.

The announced attendance at Edmunds Center was 777. North Alabama travels to face Central Arkansas on Wednesday, while Stetson heads to Bellarmine on Thursday.