Bolivar, Mo. — Southwest Baptist University men's basketball delivered a dominant performance Saturday afternoon, rolling past Lewis University, 82–48. The 34-point victory marks the Bearcats' largest margin of victory since 2021, when SBU defeated Drury by 35. That win puts SBU back above .500 to 10-9 overall and 3-7 in GLVC play.

SBU controlled the game from the start and never looked back, fueled by a career performance from freshman guard Leo Gayman. Gayman poured in a career-high 27 points, added nine rebounds, and wreaked havoc defensively with five steals. He was highly efficient across the board, shooting 66 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range, and a perfect 100 percent from the free-throw line.

Gayman wasn't alone in the effort. Zac Reedus added 21 points and dished out five assists, while Barron Silsby and Tyler Franklin each chipped in 10 points to round out a balanced offensive attack for the Bearcats.
Defensively, SBU limited Lewis to just 48 points and kept the Flyers from finding any sustained rhythm. 

With the win, the Bearcats build momentum heading into a pivotal road stretch. SBU will face GLVC No. 1 Upper Iowa on Thursday, January 29 at 7:30 p.m., followed by a matchup against Quincy University on Saturday, January 31 at 3:00 p.m.

Fans unable to attend can follow live stats and streaming coverage at sbubearcats.com.