Howard Payne Yellow Jackets Denied ASC Championship Berth

Tournament host Hardin-Simmons defeats Howard Payne 98-93 in semifinal

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets were defeated 98-93 by the tournament host Hardin-Simmons Cowboys in the semifinal of the American Southwest Conference (ASC) men's basketball championship. The Yellow Jackets trailed by just one point at halftime but were unable to overcome a double-digit deficit in the second half, despite a late comeback effort.

Why it matters

This loss ends Howard Payne's season and denies them a chance to compete for the ASC championship. The Yellow Jackets had a .500 record during the regular season and were hoping to make a run in the tournament, but fell short against the tournament host Hardin-Simmons.

The details

The Yellow Jackets shot 44% from the field, 39% from three-point range, and 79% from the free throw line. Jordan McClendon led Howard Payne with 23 points, while Armonie Ramey, Avant Coleman, Ben Phillip, Carer May, and Nathan Scott also scored in double figures. For Hardin-Simmons, Asher Fleming scored a game-high 30 points and Matthew Alexander added 20.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 27, 2026.
  • Hardin-Simmons and Mary Hardin-Baylor will face off in the ASC championship game on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 6 p.m.

The players

Jordan McClendon

The leading scorer for the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets, finishing with 23 points in the loss.

Asher Fleming

The leading scorer for the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys, scoring a game-high 30 points.

Matthew Alexander

The second-leading scorer for the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys, contributing 20 points.

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What they’re saying

“We must have played a great game to beat a tough Howard Payne team on our home court. I'm proud of the way our guys battled and made the plays we needed to win.”

— Asher Fleming (Hardin-Simmons Athletics)

What’s next

Hardin-Simmons will face Mary Hardin-Baylor in the ASC championship game on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 6 p.m.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the competitive nature of the ASC tournament, with the home team Hardin-Simmons narrowly defeating the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets to advance to the championship game. While Howard Payne's season has come to an end, this tournament run should give them momentum heading into next year's campaign.