NORTH NEWTON, Kan. — Southwestern fell short at Bethel College, 75-70 in KCAC action.

The Moundbuilders surged out to an early 21-10 lead, prompting a timeout by Bethel head coach Jayson Artez. The pause proved pivotal as the Threshers responded with a 12-0 run, seizing momentum and eventually taking a 38-34 lead into halftime. Southwestern remained within striking distance but could never quite overcome Bethel's steady play.

Defensively, the Builders struggled to contain standout fifth-year senior Nick Bonner, who led all scorers with 20 points on 17 shots. Bonner's impact extended beyond scoring as he contributed four steals, disrupting Southwestern's rhythm. The Builders found more success against KCAC all-conference guard Carmelo Yakubu, limiting him to 10 points on 13 attempts.

On the offensive end, The Builders received another stellar performance from Evan Barber, who scored 17 points on an efficient 8-shot outing, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Justin DeMaria added 15 points, while Trey Abasolo delivered a well-rounded stat line with 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Zach Hidalgo narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with 14 points and 8 rebounds.

Despite the setback, the Moundbuilders (5-1, 1-1) remain poised to rebound. They will face the University of Saint Mary (4-3, 2-0) on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Stewart Field House, 8 p.m. tipoff.