BETHANY – Southern Nazarene's eight-game winning streak against Southwestern Oklahoma State was snapped on Thursday night as SNU fell 76-69 inside the Sawyer Center.
 
The last time the Bulldogs (3-0, 3-0 GAC) defeated the Crimson Storm (2-2, 2-2 GAC) in Bethany came back in the 2014 season, and SNU now has two home losses in a single season for the first time since the 2016-17 season. The free-throw line was the Achilles' heel for Southern Nazarene on Thursday night, as they struggled to an 8-of-21 (38.1%) mark at the charity stripe. The last time the Storm finished under 40 percent from the free-throw line came on February 27, 2016.
 
Despite the woes from the line, Mo Wilson II and Maik Bouwer each had career nights. Wilson II scored 22 points and pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds to go along with four assists. Bouwer recorded 11 points and pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds, the third most in a single game in SNU history. He also added a career-high three blocks as well. Adokiye Iyaye and Karlyn Kenner both finished in double figures with 10 points apiece as Iyaye snagged five rebounds and Kenner dished out three assists.
 
Xavier Bryant came off the Storm bench and added 10 points and a couple of boards, while Manny Dixon scored six points on just five shots and hauled in seven rebounds. The Crimson Storm shot 43.5 percent from the floor and struggled from the 3-point line, finishing 7-of-27 (25.9%). The Bulldogs shot 42 percent from both the field and from behind the arc, as they forced SNU into 18 turnovers.
 
SNU dominated the glass, out-rebounding SWOSU 51-33 as they snagged a season-high 20 offensive rebounds. The points off turnovers was a difference maker as the Bulldogs scored 28 points off SNU giveaways compared to just 3 Storm points off SWOSU turnovers. The Bulldogs also knocked down 16-of-24 free-throws and tallied 22 bench points, compared to just 10 for the Storm.
 
Southern Nazarene looked great in the opening minutes of the contest as they leapt out to a quick 11-2 lead in the first four minutes. After a little SWOSU run, the Bulldogs took their first lead of the game at 28-26 with 2:58 remaining in the first half. Southwestern held that two-point advantage going into the halftime break.
 
A deflating 11-0 run out of intermission for SWOSU was the turning point of the contest, as SNU faced a 13-point deficit. But head coach Adam Bohac and his squad never gave up. A Kenner 3-pointer cut the lead to 53-45 with 10:06, before a Bryant jumper a few minutes later cut it to 61-58. The final five minutes were nerve-racking as SNU had a couple of chances to tie the game, but the Bulldogs defense held strong as they remained undefeated in the conference while handing SNU its second loss in their last three games.
 
Southern Nazarene will try and put the pieces back together on Saturday afternoon, as they travel to Durant to battle Southeastern Oklahoma State. Tip-off with the Savage Storm is set for 4:00 p.m.