MORROW, Ga. -- A season that started with a lot of promise for the Miles Golden Bears fell flat Friday night during the semifinals of the 2026 SIAC Men's Basketball Tournament presented by Toyota.

Despite erasing a 15-point first half deficit and holding a brief lead in the second half, Miles could not keep Morehouse from making the big shots in the second half as the East No. 1 seed Maroon Tigers (21-8) earned a trip to the finals with a 71-56 win over the West No. 2 seed Golden Bears at The Arena at Southlake. The loss ends Miles' season at 20-8.

The Golden Bears led early before Morehouse went on a big run in the first half. Miles made just one basket in a six-plus minute span and the Maroon Tigers went on a 21-2 run to take a 29-14 lead with 6:10 left before the half. But Miles went on its own big run to close out the half. Isaiah Jones got a fastbreak dunk, and he would go back-to-back on 3-pointers with Tyon Thompson to get the Golden Bears closer. Jaden Emory appeared to give Miles the lead at the buzzer but his shot was waved off and the Golden Bears trailed 33-32 at the half.

Miles was finally able to erase the 15-point deficit at the start of the second half. Najashi Tolefree's bucket gave the Golden Bears a one-point lead inside the first minute. Brandon Peters would drain a 3-ball to put Morehouse back in front but Jones scored again to tie the score at 36 at the 17:46 mark. But that would be the final time the Maroon Tigers would not have the lead.

On five different occasions, Miles had the ball with the chance to go back in front but it was not able to convert. The backbreaking run started at the 10-minute mark. Emory missed a 3-pointer that would have put the Golden Bears back in front and the Maroon Tigers would go on a 15-2 run to put them in control. Sincere Moore was the catalyst, draining three 3-pointers during the stretch - the final one coming with 5:40 to go that gave Morehouse a 60-48 lead. The Golden Bears never got closer than nine points after that.

Moore scored a game-high 19 points and Josiah Lawson had 18 points and eight rebounds to lead Morehouse. Jones (15 points, nine rebounds) and Cameron Jernigan (10 points, seven rebounds) were the only players in double figures for Miles.