The Blackburn Men's Basketball Team lost their St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup to the visiting Fontbonne University Griffins on Wednesday night. The game was played at Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois, and the final score was 87-74.

The Beavers played a tough and tight game as two strong defensive teams competed through the entirety of the game. Offensively, Bryson Kirby led the Beavers with 19 points, 15 of which were 3-point shots. Karson Hayes finished close behind, tallying 15 of his points, and finishing a perfect five for five on free throws. Nigel Ferrel also finished with double digit points, racking up 14 of his own. Javon Stovall tallied ten points, going four for seven on field goals, and one for two on 3-pointers. Ferrel also led the team in assists with seven. The Beavers were 26-59 on field goals, 12-33 on 3-pointers, and 10-11 on free throws.

Defensively, the Beavers had multiple players record steals. Christian Wagner had the most with three, and Karson Hayes had two. Wagner also had a block that resulted in points for the Beavers. Wagner also led the team in rebounds, tallying six. The team had 25 total rebounds, and nine total steals. Though the defensive effort was strong, Fontbonne was able to run away with late points to secure the win.

Fontbonne was led offensively by Anthony Jones, who tallied 25 points. He was 9-15 on field goals, and three for five on 3-pointers. He also had three assists. Noah Coddington racked up 18 points, and was a perfect two for two on 3-pointers. Jalen Wadlington tallied ten points, going four for six on field goals. Caden Clark led the team in assists with six. 

Defensively, the Griffins were able to shut down the Beavers offense late in the game and run away with the win. Caden Clark had three steals, two of which came at crucial moments late in the second half which allowed Fontbonne to acquire insurance points to extend their lead. Elijah Rice, Noah Coddington, and Jalen Wadlington each also had two steals. Gus Kleekamp led the Griffins with two blocks. With their strong defensive stand late in the second half, the Griffins secured the win over the Beavers.

As a result of this game, the Beavers now have an overall record of 7-11, and 6-5 in the SLIAC. The Beavers will be looking to bounce back on Saturday, February 1st, as they will be hosting conference rival Principia College. The game will be played at Blackburn College, and will start at 3:00 p.m.