WINFIELD, Kan – October, 27, 2023, In front of a sold out Stewart Field House crowd, the (20)Moundbuilders (1-0) men's basketball team opened the season at home with a dominant performance over Randal University (0-1), with a convincing 124-67 win.
With a mishandled pass on the first possession of the game after Zach Hildago won the tip, Builder fans got a glimpse of the kind of grit this year's team might be made of. Randall's Braeson Barrs-Richardson got an open floor steal and stole the energy in the gym simultaneously. But senior
Trey White, who never gave up on the play, tracked down Barrs-Richardson, and stuffed him at the rim, denying the Saint's first shot attempt and re-energizing the sold out field house.
And with a sense that everything was back on track, all-american senior guard,
Cevin Clark opened the scoring for the Builders with a drive to the paint to his left, a two foot jump stop, and silky smooth fade away. It was officially basketball season.
Clark, led the charge with 29 points, capitalizing on 12-of-18 field goals and hitting four three-pointers.
Andrew O'Brien nearly had a double-double, 15 points and an outstanding 9 rebounds. O'Brien also dished out 8 assists, showcasing his skills as one of the nation's top point forwards and possibly most difficult matchup for opposing teams.
Zach Hidalgo and
Justin DeMaria chipped in 15 points each, while
Jarvis Jennings added 10 points. Southwestern's sharpshooters were on target from beyond the arc, making 15 three-pointers in the game. They displayed an impressive 59.3% from the field.
SC established a dominant presence on the boards, out rebounding Randall University 60-26. Hidalgo, with 13 rebounds, was key in controlling the paint. The Moundbuilders' defense also excelled, with
Phillip Smith contributing 3 blocks and 5 steals in a well-rounded performance.
The game's first half saw Southwestern College shooting at a remarkable 65.12% from the field and 50.00% from beyond the arc. In the second half, they continued their strong performance with a 52.63% field goal percentage and a 76.92% free-throw shooting rate.
Builder fans were not disappointed as they look ahead to Oklahoma City, OK, Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 12:20pm at the Paycom Center, home of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. Southwestern will take on Central Christian College of McPherson in the Bridge Builder Classic and the NBA's Court of Dreams matchup.
