Bolivar, Mo. – For the second straight game, the Bearcat men's basketball team defeated yet another strong MIAA opponent in Missouri Southern (MSSU). Extending their winning streak the three, the Bearcats defeated the Lions 79-71 moving to 7-4 on the season.
 
Bearcats kept their momentum from last game, kicking off the game with an 11-0 start forcing a timeout from MSSU. SBU extended that lead to as much as 13 before the Lions high powered offense began roaring back. The comeback was only few points at a time until a three at the buzzer made it a 33-32 Bearcat lead after 20.
 
Teams traded baskets early until the 17-minute mark when a three from the Lions gave them their first lead of the game. After two quick lead changes, they held onto their own lead for the next eight and half minutes. Trailing by as much as seven, Southwest Baptist did not give up going on an 9-1 run to take the lead back.
 
With the team clinging to a one-point lead, sophomore Barron Silsby rose to the moment as the final seconds ticked away. With just 10 seconds left on the game clock and the shot clock nearly expired at three, the ball found Silsby on the perimeter. Pump faking his defender, he took one dribble, pulled up, and launched a pure shot that went cleanly through the net, igniting the crowd and sealing the moment.
 
That three gave Silsby a career high 26 points off 69% shooting and 55% from beyond the arc. This is his second straight game with 5 three-pointers and better than 50% shooting, the first Bearcat to do that since 2020-21. For the 11^th straight game Reedus scored double-digits with 13 in this game and was one rebound away from a double-double. Sullivan did not miss his mark as he recorded his third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Big marks hit by the team was an impressive 17-18 shooting from the charity stripe. Including a team best 7-7 from freshman Leo Gayman, as he scored nine with eight rebounds. The Lions came in averaging 93 PPG yet the Bearcats tight defense held them to only 71.
 
SBU men's basketball will close out 2025 with one final game Saturday afternoon against Williams Baptist. This game will take place at 3:00 p.m. in the Meyer Center.