TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Senior guard Eduardo Diaz helped the Wilberforce University men's basketball team keep its season alive in a thrilling finish.  

Diaz' steal of the Paul Quinn inbounds pass and subsequent three-point play with three seconds remaining enabled the Bulldogs to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, beating Paul Quinn in the second round of the 2026 Hope Credit Union HBCUAC Basketball Tournament early Wednesday at the Birthright Auditorium on the campus of Stillman University.  

Trailing by four with 23 seconds remaining, junior Daiquan Coach cut the deficit in half with a pair of free throws. After the Tigers missed the front end of the one-and-one, leaving the door open, a missed layup with five seconds remaining appeared to have slammed the door on the Bulldogs. However, great team defense forced the errant pass that was intercepted in the paint, and Diaz was fouled on his game-tying basket. 

"I was just thinking, make a play," said Diaz in the postgame interview. "Right before the inbound started, I was saying 'come on let just make a play' and the ball just came to my hands, and just did my job." 

Not only did he make a play, but he also sent the Bulldogs to the next round with his game-winning free throw.  

"Tonight we never blinked," said Wilberforce Head Coach John Hill. "We just believed in the next play ahead, and (Diaz) is just the epitome of what we stand for." 

The Bulldogs scored the final 10 points of the first half as part of an 18-4 run that enabled the WU to take a five-point lead into the halftime. Eight of those 10 points came from senior Eduardo Diaz, who quickly ran up his point total with all points coming in the final 71 seconds.  

Paul Quinn stormed out of the intermission by scoring 23 of the first 29 points, opening up an 11-point lead.  

However, the Force wasn't going to go away quickly.  

Senior Jesse Olverson, Jr. punctuated a 15-4 run with a tip dunk, and the Bulldogs trailed by two points with 2:21 remaining. PQC, unfortunately, had an answer with a bucket on its ensuing possession to quickly stem the tide. Ultimately, Wilberforce decided its season wasn't over.  

Diaz finished with a team-high 18 points, six rebounds, and three steals while Olverson, Jr. added 14 points and 12 rebounds. Junior Daiquan Coach had 11 points, five assists and four rebounds.  

Wilberforce (11-12) advanced to play West Division Champion Tougaloo 3 p.m. EST Thursday.