Lindsborg, Kan.— University of Saint Mary Spires used a decisive second-half surge and a balanced scoring effort to pull away from the Swedes of Bethany (Kan.) for an 86-61 road win Monday night at Hahn Gymnasium. The Spires turned a 10-point halftime cushion into a runaway victory, stretching the margin to as many as 28 points behind efficient offense and a commanding edge on the glass.

Leading 35-25 at the break, Saint Mary seized control in the opening minutes of the second half. Kaeden Bonner established the tone with a put-back layup on the first possession after halftime, and Jordan Brown followed with a 3-pointer at the 18:02 mark to push the lead to double digits at 40-28. From there, the Spires methodically widened the gap, outscoring Bethany 51-36 over the final 20 minutes and keeping the hosts at arm's length the rest of the way.

USM shot 47.1% from the field (32 of 68) and finished plus-11 on the glass, out rebounding Bethany 43-32. The Spires' interior presence and rebounding repeatedly created second-chance opportunities and limited Bethany to one shot on most trips. Saint Mary also protected the ball, turning it over only eight times while assisting on 15 baskets, a combination that allowed the offense to maintain rhythm throughout the night.

Bonner anchored the effort inside with a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double, going 6 of 14 from the field and adding a 3-pointer. He helped the Spires control the paint and stabilize the offense in both halves. Guard Cam Edwards provided a spark on the perimeter, finishing with 12 points, five assists and three steals in just 15 minutes. Edwards made an early defensive statement with a steal and transition layup to give Saint Mary a 15-7 lead in the first half, one of several plays that fueled the Spires' early separation.

The Spires also received efficient production from their depth. Joe Clark added 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, while a series of second-half contributions from the bench helped put the game out of reach. Damare Smith knocked down a 3-pointer late in the first half to help build a 35-23 advantage, then drilled another with 10:44 remaining in the second half to extend the lead to 56-35. Later, Tre Morris' 3-pointer at the 3:21 mark made it 79-55, and Torrien Dilworth Jr. capped Saint Mary's scoring with a deep 3-pointer for an 86-58 cushion with just over two minutes to play.

Bethany remained most competitive from the perimeter but struggled to generate consistent offense inside. The Swedes shot 36.2% from the floor (21 of 58) and managed only 20 points in the paint, often encountering a packed-in Saint Mary defense. The Swedes finished 12 of 23 at the free-throw line (52.2%) and committed 15 turnovers, issues that undercut any chance at a sustained rally. The Spire defense was a consistent presence, holding Bethany to 26.9% shooting from 3-point range (7 of 26) outside of Stovall's hot hand and turning turnovers into transition opportunities.

With the victory, the Spires move to an even 7-7 in KCAC play. With a big week coming up, the Spires will come home for a two-game stint to first face the Friends University Falcons on Wednesday, January 28^th at 8:00 p.m. in the Ryan Sports Center.