Box Score

Bolivar, Mo. - The Southwest Baptist University men's basketball team played a tough game against the MIAA leading Northwest Missouri State Bearcats, but fell 77-73 in overtime. With the loss, SBU falls to 8-9 (3-5 MIAA) on the season.

The first half between Southwest Baptist and Northwest Missouri was tight from the beginning. NWMSU took an early 3-0 lead, but a layup from Finn Delayn gave SBU a 7-6 lead with 16:04 left in the half. Northwest Missouri responded, pushing the lead to five (12-7) but the Bearcats hung tight and tied the game up at 12-12 off of a three from Afam Obukwelu. NWMSU once again responded, pushing their lead to 8 (23-15) with 8:25 but Southwest Baptist continued to hang around. After trailing 30-24, the Bearcats finished the half on a 5-0 run as they went into the break trailing 30-29.
 
In the second half Northwest Missouri quickly built their lead to eight (40-32), but SBU continued to hang tight. SBU used a 9-2 run, capped off by a Daymond Cowlah layup, to cut the NWMSU lead to one at 42-41. Both Bearcat squads exchanged buckets over the next couple of minutes before NWMSU pushed their lead back to nine at 54-45 with 7:09 to go. Southwest Baptist continued to stay close, and a Menas Stephens layup with 3:58 to go cut the lead back down to one (56-55). However, Northwest Missouri pushed their lead back to five (64-59) with only 35 seconds left on the clock but Southwest Baptist didn't back down. Menas Stephens hit a big three on the next possession, and after a pair of missed free throws, Stephens suck a jumper to send the game to overtime.
 
In overtime, Patrick Burke started the period off with a layup to give SBU a 66-64 lead. After a couple of back-and-forth baskets, SBU held a 70-69 lead with 1:10 to go. However, missed free throws and a big three from Northwest Missouri prevent SBU from coming away victorious as they fell 77-73.
 
Menas Stephens had a monster game for SBU, pouring in a career high 25 points and 15 rebounds for another double-double on the year. Robert Shaw added 10 points off of the bench while Daymond Cowlah also had 7 points. As a team SBU shot 47.5% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc, and 35.3% from the free throw line.
 
The Bearcats will be back in action on Saturday, January 17 when they host Missouri Western. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. from the Meyer Sports Center in Bolivar.