The Southwestern Spartans men's basketball team improved to 4-5 overall and 1-1 in ICCAC play with a hard-fought 73-64 win over Western Iowa Tech on Wednesday night.

Rickey Loftin II led the charge with an incredible performance, posting 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, continuing to demonstrate why he's one of the top scorers in the conference.

Kael Jones was a force on the boards, recording a double-double with 10 points, 19 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks, anchoring the Spartans' defense. James Braddy made a strong impact off the bench, contributing 11 points and 4 steals, while Theo Alexandersson Ohnell added 9 points, including a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc.

Head coach Darryl Fletcher praised the team's resilience, saying, "So proud of the progress we are showing. We fought all 40 minutes. Kael was huge for us on defense and the boards, and Rickey picked his spots to lead us on and off the court. We're continuing to stack good practices and grow together. Nothing better than a good road win."

The Spartans shot an impressive 50.9% from the field, holding Western Iowa Tech to just 64 points while dominating the rebounding battle with 46 boards.

Up Next:
The Spartans return home on Friday, Dec. 6, to face Graceland JV before hitting the road again on Saturday, Dec. 7, for a matchup with Kansas City Kansas Community College at Haskell.