Spires Topple Rival Oklahoma Wesleyan in KCAC Showdown, 65-61

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - In a battle of the KCAC's top two teams on a frigid winter evening, the University of Saint Mary men's basketball team emerged victorious in a nail-biting 65-61 win over Oklahoma Wesleyan. The highly anticipated matchup lived up to the hype, with both teams exchanging blows in a tightly contested game that came down to the final seconds.

The Spires entered halftime with a 10-point lead, 38-28. However, the Eagles came out strong in the second half, quickly going on a 12-4 run to cut the Spires' lead to just 2 points by the 14th minute mark. Despite the momentum shift, Saint Mary's resilience shone through as the game wore on.

Jordan Brown delivered a game-high 26 points for the Spires, including two clutch free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining to seal the victory. The Eagles thought they had tied the game moments earlier when Dylan Phillip's 19-foot jumper banked off the glass and in as the shot clock expired. However, after a review, the officials ruled it a shot-clock violation, sending the Spires' bench into celebration and silencing the home crowd. Brown iced the game at the charity stripe, securing a massive road win for Saint Mary.

The Spires' sharpshooting from beyond the arc was a key factor in the win, as they drained nine three-pointers compared to just two for the Eagles. Despite being outmuscled on the boards, 41-26, and outscored 36-20 in the paint, Saint Mary's defensive grit and timely offense carried them through.

Kaeden Bonner added 14 points for the Spires, hitting six crucial free throws, while Joey Schultz chipped in 11 points and four rebounds. Bryce Johnson and Tre Alexander played pivotal roles defensively, helping the Spires force 13 turnovers and tally nine steals. The final five minutes saw a significant presence from Bonner, Schultz, and Brown, which helped the Spires maintain control of the game and hold off Oklahoma Wesleyan's late surge.

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The win keeps Saint Mary in a strong position atop the KCAC standings at 9-0, and an overall record of 12-3. The Spires now look ahead to their next challenge as they travel on the road to play against Bethel College on Saturday, January 11th. Tip-off is set for 5:00 PM.