Leavenworth, Kan.—USM men faced a tough defeat against the Southwestern Moundbuilders with a final score of 68-64 at the Ryan Sports Center in Leavenworth, Kansas this evening on Saturday, November 22nd.

The first half began with the Spires taking an early lead, thanks to a quick two points from Terrius Walker. Saint Mary swiftly extended their advantage with key contributions from Walker, Kaeden Bonner, and Damare Smith, achieving a significant 13-point lead at one point. Notably, Damare Smith nailed a 3-pointer from deep, assisted by Bonner, which contributed to the Spires ending the period ahead, 39-31. Smith particularly stood out with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and tallying 10 points in the game, leading on multiple fronts for the Spires.

The second half saw a reversal of fortunes as Southwestern started hot with a layup by Nigel John, and followed up with a series of effective defensive stops. The Moundbuilders capitalized on turnovers from the Spires, gradually erasing the deficit. Southwestern's Evan Barber and Wyatt Bell were instrumental, with Barber's free throws late in the game sealing their lead. Despite a late push from USM, the moundbuilders clinched the late victory with a few late free throws finalizing their 4-point lead at end of the game.

Top performers for Saint Mary were Jordan Brown, leading with 13 points and contributing 1 assist and 3 rebounds and fellow teammate Terrius Walker with 11 points and 3 rebounds. For the Moundbuilders, Wyatt Bell emerged as the game-high scorer with 25 points, pivotal to their second-half comeback. The Spires are now 6-2 for the season, and 1-2 in KCAC play. The Spires will take a quick holiday break and look to bounce back against the Evangel University Valor back at home on Wednesday, December 3rd.