Kansas City, Mo.—A suffocating defensive effort and a late-second-half surge lifted the University of Saint Mary Spires to a 90-74 road victory over Avila (Mo.) on Wednesday night at Mabee Fieldhouse.

The Spires set the tone early with an 18-5 opening salvo, building a double-digit advantage behind active hands and efficient perimeter shooting. Kaeden Bonner knocked down a 3-pointer after a steal at the 16:16 mark to make it 10-2, and Cam Edwards followed with another triple for a 22-7 lead just past the midway point of the first half. A fast break layup by Joe Clark off a Jordan Brown assist extended the cushion to 29-15 with 6:11 left before the break.

Avila responded with a late first-half push to climb back into contention. The Eagles chipped away at the line and from the arc, trimming what had been a 15-point deficit down to a single possession before Bonner stopped the run with a late jumper that moved the Spires ahead 37-30 with mere minutes to play in the half. USM carried that seven-point edge into the locker room, leading 37-33 despite shooting just 39.7 percent from the field on the night.

The Spires reasserted control quickly after intermission. On the first possession of the second half, Damare Smith drilled a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 40-33 at 19:37. Avila's Gio Mack briefly answered with a 3-pointer to bring the Eagles within 40-36, but Saint Mary continued to generate turnovers and extra possessions. Bonner's second-half 3-pointer at the 11:34 mark stretched the margin to 60-52, and from there the Spires gradually pulled away.

The Spires turned what was a tight game into a comfortable win with a critical stretch in the closing minutes, capped when Jordan Brown buried a 3-pointer with 1:54 remaining to push the margin to 90-72 and effectively seal the outcome. The Spires outscored the Eagles 53-41 after halftime and forced 27 turnovers overall, converting pressure defense into transition points to finish off the KCAC cross-town match up.

The Spires defensive pressure, something they've prided themselves in all season, proved to be the key difference. The Spires collected 16 steals and recorded 11 turnovers of their own, compared with 27 giveaways by the Eagles. Those extra opportunities helped offset Avila's slight edge in overall shooting percentage (42.3 percent to 39.7 percent). USM also controlled the glass with a 41-35 rebounding advantage, including 18 offensive boards, and matched the Eagles at the foul line by going 24 of 31 (77.4 percent) compared with Avila's 20 of 27 (74.1 percent).

Brown led Saint Mary with 19 points, adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists while hitting 3 of 8 attempts from beyond the arc and 6 of 7 at the stripe. Bonner finished with 17 points, 4 rebounds and a game-high 6 steals, frequently igniting the Spires' transition game. Smith delivered a well-rounded performance with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists while going 5 of 6 at the free-throw line. Jason Parson II added a key late basket, converting a put back layup with 3:40 remaining to make it 82-69 as the lead grew into double figures for good. Off the bench, the Spires got the boost they needed in key components Cam Edwards, Joe Clark and Tyler Holmes. Edwards would tally 5 rebounds on the evening, with Clark and Holmes adding 12 and 11 points, respectively.  

Avila was paced by James Ross III, who scored 17 points and went 11 of 14 at the free-throw line while adding a pair of 3-pointers. Mack added 14 points, six assists and four rebounds, connecting on four 3-pointers to help keep the Eagles within striking distance for much of the night. However, Avila's 27 turnovers and deficit on the offensive glass undercut those efforts in front of a crowd of 375.

With the road win, the Spires showcased a blueprint built on pressure defense, depth and balanced scoring. The squad will look to continue this into the final stretch of the year. USM comes back home this Saturday, February 11^th for Senior Night in Ryan Sports Center as they take on the Tabor College Bluejays with a 7:00 p.m. tip-off. With just three games to go in regular season action, your Spire men are currently sitting at number seven in the KCAC.