Basketball: Spires back on track

After suffering its first conference loss last week, the Saint Mary men’s basketball team wasted little time getting back in the win column.

On Saturday, the Spires utilized a second-half sputter to dispatch visiting McPherson 72-60.

With Sterling College’s loss, the victory gives USM a two-game cushion a top the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference heading into the regular season’s final four games.

Versus McPherson, Saint Mary went from being up 29-27 at half to winning by double digits thanks in large part to its offensive execution. The club posted 43 second-half points, 10 more than its guests, to claim the win.

Five Spires finished in double-digit scoring, the most going to JEB Greenberg, who had 17.

On Thursday, the squad will travel to Bethany College to try and improve on its 19-6 overall, 13-1 league record. The game starts at 8 p.m.

The Lady Spires also hosted McPherson on Saturday, where it fell 73-54 at the hands of its visitors.

Only one Lady Spire finished with double-digit points, that being Shelby Watson with 13.

USM, now 8-18 overall and 2-12 in league, will play Bethany at 6 p.m. Thursday.