NORTH NEWTON, Kan. — Evan Barber scored a game-high 21 points to lead Southwestern College to a pivotal 77-62 victory over Bethel College on Wednesday night inside Thresher Gymnasium, a result with major implications in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and the NAIA national picture.

The win moves the Moundbuilders to 15-6 overall and 9-6 in KCAC play, while Bethel fell to 15-6 overall and 10-5 in conference action. With both teams fighting for positioning in a tightly packed league race, the matchup carried added weight and delivered a bruising, physical battle from start to finish.

Southwestern set the tone early in what quickly became a slugfest in the paint. Nigel John was a constant presence inside, finishing with 17 points and four rebounds as the Moundbuilders absorbed contact and controlled the interior. Eli Sawyers continued to step up in the absence of KCAC-leading rebounder Zach Hidalgo, contributing 13 points and eight rebounds while helping Southwestern win the rebounding battle, 30-19.

Wyatt Bell added 15 points and five rebounds, finishing the game in an unusual fashion. Bell's shoes blew out by halftime, but Southwestern women's basketball player Allyson Frank lent him her pair, allowing the senior to complete the second half wearing Frank's shoes in one of the night's more memorable moments.

Southwestern shot 54.9 percent from the field and knocked down 38.9 percent from three-point range, while holding Bethel to 42 percent shooting overall and just 16.7 percent from beyond the arc. The Moundbuilders also grabbed eight offensive rebounds, converting them into seven second-chance points that helped create separation in the second half.

The physicality never let up in Thresher Gymnasium, but Southwestern's efficiency and toughness on the glass proved decisive in a game that carried national implications for both programs.

The Moundbuilders return home Saturday, Jan. 31, when they host York University at Stewart Fieldhouse. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. in Winfield, Kansas.