WINFIELD, Kan. – The Southwestern College men's basketball team fell to the University of Saint Mary, 81-72, the Moundbuilders couldn't keep pace with the Spires' late-game surge.

The game was tightly contested throughout, with both teams trading leads in a thrilling first half that ended with Saint Mary holding a narrow 34-32 advantage. The Moundbuilders came out strong after halftime, building a 53-46 lead midway through the second half, but Saint Mary responded with a barrage of three-pointers to tie the game and eventually take control in the final minutes.

Saint Mary was powered by a dominant performance from Jordan Brown, who led all scorers with 29 points, fueled by an impressive 6-for-10 display from beyond the arc. Tre Alexander added 21 points on 6-for-14 shooting, including two three-pointers, as the duo accounted for the majority of the Spires' offensive output.

For Southwestern, Wyatt Bell provided a spark off the bench, scoring 15 points, with 13 coming in the second half. Justin DeMaria and Evan Barber each contributed 13 points, showcasing their ability to hit from long range and attack the basket. Zach Hidalgo was a force on the boards, grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds and adding eight points, falling just short of a double-double.

The Moundbuilders shot 42.1% from the field (24-for-57) and knocked down 11 three-pointers on 36.7% shooting from deep. While they won the rebounding battle with 47 boards to Saint Mary's 37, Southwestern struggled with turnovers, committing 16 compared to the Spires' nine.

Southwestern now sits at 1-2 in KCAC play and will look to bounce back quickly. They will host Haskell University on Monday, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m. in Stewart Fieldhouse.