Box Score
Kearney, Neb. - The #11 seeded Southwest Baptist University Bearcats had #6 seeded Nebraska Kearney on the ropes with 4 minutes left. However, a 14-7 run to close the game from the Lopers ultimately spoiled the Bearcats upset bid and send Nebraska Kearney home winners 84-77. The win advances the Lopers to Kansas City to take on #3 seeded Washburn while the loss ends SBU's season. Southwest Baptist finishes the year 12-17 (6-13 MIAA).

Individually for the Bearcats, Damian Prgomet, Chris Rossow, Karim Mouliom, and Darnell Latham Jr. all had solid nights. Prgomet was great on both the offensive and defensive end of the floor with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Rossow, the MIAA Freshman of the Year, had 14 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. Mouliom, coming off the bench, chipped in 14 points and 5 rebounds on 5 of 7 (71.4%) shooting from the field. Latham Jr. added 10 points that included three made threes. 

For the game, SBU shot efficiently as they went 45.6% (26-57) from the field, 40.9% (9-22) from downtown, and 84.2% (16-19) from the foul line. The Bearcats outrebounded the Lopers by a 36 to 34 margin. SBU dished out 15 assists on their 26 made field goals and held the Lopers to just 26.3% (5-19) shooting from three. SBU also had the edge in bench points, 25 to 18. The difference in the game was points in the paint as Nebraska Kearney scored 36 and Southwest Baptist managed only 24.

After the Lopers claimed an early 8-3 advantage, SBU came back to tie the game at 8 on a Kai Woodfall three at the 13:29 mark. Over the course of the next six minutes of game action, the two teams jostled back forth by exchanging leads nine different times. The final lead change of the first half swung the way of the Bearcats as Woodfall nailed home another three to put SBU in front 26-24 with 6:56 left. The Woodfall three sparked a 16-8 run from the Bearcats to close the half and give them a 39-32 lead at the break.

Early into the second half, SBU extended their lead to eight at three different points with a jumper from Mouliom at the 16:55 mark being the final time. With 13:07 to go, the SBU lead had disappeared as Nebraska Kearney tied the game at 50 all. Maris Colton reclaimed a 55-52 lead for the Bearcats with a three of his own at 11:46 mark. Nebraska Kearney again retook the lead but a Rossow three point play helped regain a 63-62 Bearcat advantage with 6:34 remaining. With 3:46 left, Logan Hovey knotted the game at 70 but that's when the Lopers took over and sealed their 84-77 win with the late 14-7 run.