WINFIELD, Kan. — The Southwestern College Moundbuilders (1-0) opened their season with a commanding 67-52 victory over the Benedictine Ravens (0-1) at Stewart Field House.
 
The first half was a back and forth affair, Southwestern held a slim 32-29 lead at halftime but broke away in the second half, outscoring Benedictine 35-23.
 
Wyatt Bell led the scoring effort with an impressive 21 points, shooting 7-for-15 from the field and hitting two three-pointers, while also adding four rebounds and four assists.
 
Trey Abasolo was efficient with15 points, going a perfect 6-for-6 from the field, including three from beyond the arc, and secured seven rebounds.
 
 Justin DeMaria chipped in with 11 points, including three three-pointers.
 
On the boards, Zach Hidalgo was dominant, pulling down 11 rebounds, while also scoring nine points and dishing out two assists.
 
 Evan Barber provided additional support with six rebounds, and Ronnail Tape contributed five points off the bench, going a perfect 1-for-1 from three-point range.
 
The Moundbuilders' defense played a key role, limiting Benedictine to just 20 points in the paint and scoring 12 points off second-chance opportunities thanks to their 17 offensive rebounds. Southwestern's strong rebounding advantage (49-28) proved pivotal in maintaining control throughout the game.

The Builders will be home for an early noon game against Randall University, Oct. 30, in the Champions of Character game.