GOODMAN — Following last week's thrilling win over Co-Lin to not only extend the win streak to four but also start MACCC play off on the right foot, the Bears, unfortunately could not keep it going, Thursday at Holmes, falling to the Bulldogs, 74-72.
 
"This is a really good team, they (Holmes) are 14-1 coming into the game," Southwest head coach Corey Schmidt said. "We haven't played for a week and I thought that we came out really ready to play, focused, locked in and ready to go. But just a few too many mistakes, a few too many turnovers."
 
Southwest (10-7, 1-1 MACCC) grabbed the upper hand early and never relinquished the lead through the first 6:00 of the contest. After losing the lead, the Bears trailed by as much as five with 11:20 to go in the first half.
 
The Bears then went on a 10-0 run, highlighted by a Fazl Oshodi putback on a free throw where he also fouled in the process. He completed the three-point play keeping the momentum on the visitor's side. The run wrapped with four-consecutive points from Josh Schonback giving the Bears a 24-19 advantage.
 
The combination of Schonback and Tylik Weeks shined in the closing minutes of the first half, helping Southwest take a 36-34 lead into the locker room.
 
In similar fashion to the first half, the Bears got off to a positive start in the second, taking a six-point advantage following a basket from Weeks and a 3-pointer from LeVionne Lindsey making the score 46-40.

Not long afterward, baskets from Robert Flantroy were bookends to a 6-0 rally ballooning the Bear lead 52-45. The seven-point advantage was the largest on the night for Southwest.
 
As the clock moved past the halfway mark of the second half, the Bear lead slowly dwindled as Holmes got into a groove.
                                                                                               
An 8-0 Bulldog rally was answered by a 7-0 one from the Bears and even though Southwest took the lead back, Holmes stayed within striking distance.
 
With the score tied at 69 with 3:00 to go, both teams were looking for one last push. Unfortunately for the Bears, the Bulldogs got crucial baskets down the stretch and Southwest couldn't answer as Holmes held on for the narrow win.
 
Weeks led the Bears with 24 points. Schonback tallied 16 points while Oshodi posted 15.
 
Southwest returns home on Saturday, hosting East Mississippi at 7 p.m.