Spires Stumble on the Road Against Bethel

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. - The University of Saint Mary men's basketball team suffered a tough 75-57 loss on the road against Bethel College in a KCAC matchup. This was the first loss for the Spires in conference play this year and it was no discredit to Bethel's tenacity. 

Bethel came out strong, setting the tone early with an efficient offensive performance in the first half. The Spires struggled to find their rhythm on both ends of the floor, shooting just 33.3% for the game while Bethel capitalized on a 40.7% shooting clip. By halftime, Saint Mary found themselves in a 16-point hole, trailing 42-26.

The second half saw a more balanced effort from the Spires, with Joey Schultz leading the way offensively. Schultz tallied a team-high 14 points, including two three-pointers, while Bryce Johnson contributed 12 points and five rebounds. Despite their improved play, Saint Mary couldn't match Bethel's ability to convert from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line. Bethel sank nine three-pointers on 36% shooting and made 18 of 23 free-throw attempts, compared to Saint Mary's 6 of 26 from deep and 9 of 16 at the charity stripe.

Bethel's dominance on the glass also proved critical, outrebounding the Spires 47-27 and turning second-chance opportunities into 17 points. Saint Mary's bench contributed 18 points, with strong efforts from Terique Suwareh (seven points, five rebounds) and Jason Parson II (four points, two rebounds).

Defensively, the Spires forced 16 turnovers but struggled to contain Bethel's fast-break attack, allowing 15 points in transition compared to just five of their own.

Up Next:

Despite the loss, Saint Mary remains in a strong position in the KCAC standings as they prepare for the second half of the season. The Spires are currently 12-4 overall and have a 9-1 conference record. They look to bounce back in their matchup next week on Wednesday, January 15th at 8pm against York.