CRESTON, Iowa — November 4, 2025 — Southwestern men's basketball earned its first victory of the young season Tuesday night, defeating Peru State College JV 88–69 inside the Student Center gymnasium. The win moves the Spartans to 1–1 on the year after a tough season-opening loss on the road at Metropolitan Community College.

The Spartans came out with intensity on both ends of the floor, jumping to a 49–30 lead by halftime and maintaining control throughout the second half. Southwestern shot an efficient 52.3% from the field and displayed strong ball movement with 19 assists on 34 made baskets.

Sophomore Theo Alexandersson Ohnell led the way with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, making his presence felt on both ends of the court. Fellow sophomore Alec Belter posted a double-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, showing leadership and physicality in the paint. Niko Wilson added 14 points and eight rebounds, while Fraequane Wilkins contributed a well-rounded performance with 10 points, five boards, and a team-high six assists.

Head Coach Darryl Fletcher credited the team's energy and home crowd for helping spark the turnaround.

"I'm glad to win this game and we had a good crowd tonight," Fletcher said. "We still have a ton of things to improve upon, and we're in the process of getting those things improved. Overall, I thought we got better in the half court offensively, but we need to learn to play harder defensively. Love how Theo played, and some of our younger guys really stepped up with two starters out."

The Spartans will now turn their attention to a challenging weekend ahead as they travel to the Johnson County Community College Classic, where they'll face Highland Community College on Friday and No. 9 Johnson County Community College on Saturday.