By: Jeff Weseloh, Director of Athletics Media Relations
Box Score Bolivar, Mo. – The Southwest Baptist University men's basketball team played #18 Central Missouri extremely close for the second time this season, but fell at UCM 71-67. With the loss, SBU drops to 11-15 (6-11 MIAA) on the season.
The Mules opened up the contest against Southwest Baptist with a 6-0 lead three minutes into the game, but the Bearcats responded with a three from
Derrick Stewart and a layup from
Daymond Cowlah to pull within one at 6-5. The Bearcats and Mules exchanged baskets before UCM used a small 6-0 run to extend their lead to 15-8 with 13:08 to go in the half. However, SBU fought right back with a 9-0 run of their own, capped off by a
Menas Stephens jumper, to take their first lead of the game at 17-15 with just under ten minutes to play in the half. The Bearcats and Mules exchanged buckets for the remainder of the half as SBU entered the break trailing 29-25.
In the second half the Bearcats came out and cut the UCM lead to two (31-29) before the Mules went on a 11-0 run to open up their lead. However, the Bearcats held steady with the Mules, and after trailing by 10 (57-47) with 6:04 to go, the Bearcats used a 6-0 run to pull the game back within four at 57-53 with 4:09 remaining. UCM responded by pushing their lead back to 11 (66-55) with 1:07 left, but a late rally by SBU brought them back within four as they would eventually run out of time in a hard fought 71-67 loss on the road.
Derrick Stewart had an outstanding game for the Bearcats, scoring a team high 22 points off of 6 of 8 shooting from beyond the arc.
Daymond Cowlah was also in double-figures for SBU, scoring 10 points off of 4 of 4 shooting from the field, while
Menas Stephens had 8 points and a team high 9 rebounds in the loss. As a team, SBU shot 52.4% from the field, 56.3% from beyond the arc, and 82.4% from the free throw line.
The Bearcats will return home on Thursday, February 26 in their final home contest of the season against Northwest Missouri. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. from the Meyer Sports Center in Bolivar.
