PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — In a taut Atlantic 10 Conference tournament semifinal that came down to the final possession, Jordan Derkack’s 28 points and a last-second tip-in by Amael L’Etang lifted Dayton to a 70-69 victory over Saint Louis on Saturday at 84 Lumber Arena.

The sixth-seeded Flyers, who split the regular-season series with the second-seeded Billikens, advanced to the championship game with a record of 23-9. Saint Louis, which entered the game with 28 wins, saw its season end at 28-5.

The most critical sequence unfolded in the game’s frantic final six seconds. With Dayton trailing 69-68, Derkack drove for a potential go-ahead layup but missed. The 7-foot-1 French center L’Etang, who had 7 points, 4 assists and 2 blocks, soared for the offensive rebound and gently guided the ball back into the basket for the lead with less than a second remaining.

Saint Louis’s final attempt, a long three-point heave by Quentin Jones as time expired, missed the mark, sealing a dramatic comeback for Dayton, which had trailed by as many as 13 points in the second half.

The game was a stark contrast to the teams’ last meeting on Jan. 30, a 102-71 Saint Louis rout. This time, the Flyers weathered an early storm from the Billikens’ versatile offense. Saint Louis built a 42-29 lead early in the second half behind the play of Amari McCottry, who finished with 16 points, 5 assists and 3 blocks, and Dion Brown, who added 10 points.

Dayton’s methodical response was spearheaded by Derkack, a 6-foot-5 guard from Colonia, New Jersey. After a quiet first half, Derkack erupted, attacking the rim and drawing fouls to score 20 of his game-high 28 points after halftime. He was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line in the second half, part of a 17-point effort from Dayton at the stripe that kept them within striking distance.

Javon Bennett provided crucial support for Dayton with 17 points, including several key free throws down the stretch. His backcourt pressure also contributed to 15 Saint Louis turnovers.

Saint Louis, which shot efficiently for much of the game, was led by McCottry and Robbie Avila, who had 14 points and 4 assists. Ishan Sharma added 11 points off the bench. However, the Billikens’ offense stalled in the final minutes, managing only two field goals in the last four minutes as Dayton tightened its defense.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair that saw Saint Louis take a 36-33 lead into the break, fueled by early three-pointers from McCottry, Jones and Brown. Dayton stayed close through the interior play of De’Shayne Montgomery and the facilitating of L’Etang.

The victory continues a strong late-season push for Dayton, which has won four of its last five games. Derkack, the team’s leading scorer, has been instrumental, averaging over 17 points per game in that stretch after being held to just 2 points in a loss to VCU on March 6.

For Saint Louis, the loss is a stunning end to a dominant season that saw them lose only four times prior to Saturday, all in conference play. They were unable to replicate their regular-season home blowout of the Flyers, falling in a nail-biter defined by Dayton’s resilience and one final, decisive effort on the glass.

The Flyers will await the winner of the other semifinal for Sunday’s championship game, seeking an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.