LEAVENWORTH, Kan. – The University of Saint Mary men's basketball team held an 11-point lead at halftime against the Tabor College BlueJays, before having to fight till the very end and hold on for a six-point 78-72 victory Monday afternoon inside the Ryan Sports Center – earning their first win of the season.

Saint Mary is now 1-7 overall and 1-6 in the KCAC.

It was a dogfight early in the first half between the two squads, but Saint Mary would go on a 6-0 run with the score at 33-26 Spires at the 2:09 mark. Donovan Sinegal would connect on two consecutive three-pointers a minute later, before Christian Carmichael sank a basket to give the Spires a 41-30 halftime lead.

Saint Mary would hold onto the double-digit lead as Carmichael scored five points to give USM a 56-44 lead at the 13:46 mark. Tabor would slowly chip away at the lead before coming withing two points with 4:44 remaining. After Sinegal fouled out, Diego Lucas was the next man up as he put the Spires back up five points with 2:18 remaining. The BlueJays once again came within two points at 74-72, but two key free throws from Lucas down the stretch eventually sealed the win for the Spires.

Sinegal led the team with a career-high 31 points, while Lucas had 18 points and Carmichael had 11.

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The Spires host Southwestern College in the Ryan Sports Center Thursday at 7 p.m.