For most of the Barclay College student body, Tuesday afternoon marked the last day of classes before Thanksgiving break began. The men’s basketball team, however, had one more item of business to attend to on that day. The #1 ranked NCCAA Division II Hillsdale Free Will Baptist Bible College Saints (Moore, Okla.) paid a visit to Hockett Auditorium Tuesday night. The Bears headed into the Southwest Region game having lost their previous five games against the Saints spanning the last three years.

Even though the student body was absent, the Barclay College faithful filled the stands for what was sure to be heated test. Early on, there was plenty to cheer about thanks to juniors Tanner Huck (Coldwater, Kans.) and Adrian Maloney Jr. (Wichita, Kans.). They gave the Bears a great spark off the bench that ignited a huge run to sway the momentum in their favor. Their energy and effort were contagious as a host Bears got in on the act to take a 56-43 lead into intermission.

As expected from a top-tier team, the Saints came out in the second half and worked up a run of their own to tie it up at 62. It was at that moment that the Bears kicked it into a different gear. They pounded the paint with solid post play and from relentless perimeter players. They once again built the lead back up to double digits with less than five minutes of action left before a flurry of turnovers, missed free throws, and mental mistakes allowed the Saints to get back within striking distance. In the end it was just too much for the Saints to overcome. The Bears knocked down their last six clutch free throws to seal the victory and pull off the upset, 104-99.

Senior Charles Brodhead (Lompoc, Calif.) led all scorers with 31 points and added 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Junior Jay Bradley Jr. (Wichita, Kans.) had his second consecutive twenty point game as he scored 25 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Juniors Cole Hibler (Ponca City, Okla.) and Jay Milton (Paris, Texas) both scored in double digits with 14 and 10.

Next up for the Bears (2-5, 0-0) is a road game at NAIA Southwestern College (Winfield, Kans.) on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Following that the Bears will play conference foes St. Louis Christian College (Florissant, Mo.) and Central Christian College of the Bible (Moberly, Mo.) on the road to wrap up their first semester schedule.