The Saints men's basketball team beat the University of the Southwest from New Mexico Saturday afternoon 85-70 improving their record to 17-9 overall and 14-3 in conference, while USW dropped to 11-12 overall and 9-7 in conference. The Saints maintained their no. 1 status in the conference with Texas Wesleyan University half a game behind.

The game started with Eddie Ortiz, Ricardo Zanini, Keonte Logan, Curtis Bowens Jr. and Dionelle Rucker. The Lions took the first possession of the ball and quickly took a five-point lead before Rucker made the Saints' first two points. Junior forward Sherman Howard returned to play after being out with broken ribs. His contributions were significant in that he led the team in scoring with 12 during the first half. The teams would tie three times, with the Saints' largest lead at three and the Lions' at five. The half ended with the Saints trailing 35-38.

The Saints came back in the second half with sheer determination to win the game. Ortiz hit a 3-pointer to give the Saints the lead at 40-38. Zanini's 3-pointer increased the Saints lead to 43-38. The Saints would go up by 15 with 13 ½ minutes left in the half. USW's Demetrius Evans sank a free throw to take the score to 56-42, and it remained at that for more than three minutes before USW's Clarence Rivas made a 3-pointer. Zanini gave the Saints their largest lead so far with nine minutes left in the game after he made a free throw taking the score to 62-50. Rucker got several reverse lay-ups and a backwards slam-dunk to take the score to 71-57 with six minutes left in the game. Porter answered with a fancy slam dunk of his own to take the score to 73-64. A rebound from Logan ended the game giving the Saint the win, 85-70.