Leavenworth, Kan.—A chippy second-half surge lifted the University of Saint Mary to their fourth straight KCAC victory over Ottawa on Wednesday, February 18^th at the Ryan Sports Center with a final tally of 79-68.

Ottawa controlled much of the first half behind efficient shooting and early perimeter success. The Braves opened a 5-0 lead on a Barbieri 3-pointer following a steal and later stretched the margin to 14-7 on a Martelly triple. Ottawa maintained its edge into the break, with Tyler knocking down a jumper in the closing seconds of the first half to give the Braves a 41-37 advantage.

Trailing at halftime, the Spires clamped down defensively and outscored the Braves 42-27 after the break. USM turned a six-point deficit into a double-digit advantage by the final minute, using huge 3-point shooting and a significant edge in turnovers to flip the game's momentum and send the Braves home frustrated.

The Braves briefly extended that lead when Willis scored on a layup to start the second half, but USM steadily tightened their pressure. The Spires forced 14 Ottawa turnovers while committing only five, converting extra possessions into points as the half wore on. Bonner's 3-pointer with 11:27 remaining came in the middle of that push, turning a Saint Mary deficit into the start of a sustained run that shifted momentum permanently toward the Spires favor.

From there, USM's balance and aggressiveness at the free-throw line separated the teams. The Spires shot 27-for-69 (39.1%) from the field and 8-for-25 (32.0%) from 3-point range, but made up the difference at the stripe by going 17-for-24 (70.8%). Brown converted free throws in the final minute, stretching the lead to 79-68 with 40 seconds left and effectively closing out the game. Saint Mary also owned a 39-33 edge on the glass, including 10 offensive rebounds.

Jordan Brown—recognized before the game for surpassing 1,000 career points—led the pack with 25 points and 7 rebounds, catching fire from beyond the arc. Brown finished 7-for-9 on 3-pointers, repeatedly punishing Ottawa's defense when the Spires needed a basket. Kaeden Bonner added 21 points, including a clutch 3-pointer midway through the second half that helped ignite the Spires motor as they erased a 57-49 deficit and seized control. Cam Edwards lifted his group off the bench with 12 points, 2 steals and an assist. Tyler Holmes, Joe Clark, and Terrius Walker each made a statement in the win, finishing with 6, 7, and 8 points, respectively, and a slew of defensive efforts that a stat sheet simply won't reflect.

Coming up, the time has come for the final game of the regular season as the Spires travel to Winfield, Kansas to have a rematch of a 64-68 loss to Southwestern College in mid-November. USM is set to tip-off against the Moundbuilders at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 21^st. The Spires are currently 13-8 in KCAC action and sit sixth overall in the conference standings as post season begins next week.