LEAVENWORTH, Kan. – The University of Saint Mary men's basketball team held on 87-75 in a tough battle against Avila University Monday night inside Ryan Sports Center. The team was hot shooting as they went 51.72% from the field and 50% from the three point line. Christian Carmichael scored a career-high 21 points.

The Spires are now 12-9 overall and 8-9 KCAC.

In the opening minute of the game, Tevin Killeen grabbed the rebound after a missed three-pointer by Avila and found Carmichael down at the other end to put the Spires on the board first. Both teams traded baskets throughout most of the first half. Buckets from Lavar McCullough and Cameron Southern gave the Spires a four point lead, but the Eagles answered with back-to-back-to-back buckets to go up 22-18 with 8:01 left in the first half.

Later on, Brad Hailey found Carmichael behind the three-point line to tie the game up. On the next possession, Killeen fed Hailey the ball and he went up with authority for the dunk and gave the Spires the 25-23 lead with just over six minutes left in the half. Both teams traded buckets again the rest of the half, but two made free-throws by McCullough gave Saint Mary a 35-34 lead at the half.

The Spires came out hot in the second half as Killeen and Carmichael drained back-to-back-to-back three-pointers to extend the lead to 8. The hot shooting continued and Saint Mary led 72-60 with 6:43 left in the game. On the next position, Carmichael grabbed the offensive rebound and was fouled, which turned into two made free-throws. Made free-throws down the stretched helped the Spires keep their double-digit lead over the Eagles the rest of the way.

Carmichael led the team with 21 points and eight rebounds. Killeen finished with 13 points and led the team with six assists. McCullough finished with 12 points, and Jesse Moss and Dallas Taylor both had nine points. As a team, the Spires had 25 assists.

UP NEXT
The Spires will head to McPherson, Kan. this Wednesday to take on McPherson College. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.