Bekemeier, Palek III lead Bears to sweep in double header

Key Highlights

• Without the Republic products production, the rest of the Lady Bears were just 3-20 from the field. Bekemeier’s 31 points set a new personal best for the junior guard, by breaking her previous mark of 26 set just two days prior in the team’s victory against Kennesaw State.
• The Lady Bears will hit the road for their next two games, January 15 & 17, then return home to face Louisianna Tech on January 22.———————————————————————————————————-AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs for Cuonzo Martin and the men’s team, they were able to also fight there way through a mini war with Florida International, and come out on top, 79-71. The Bears ( 10-6, 4-1) built a 19-7 lead, midway through the first half, thanks to a 14-0 run, but the Panthers dug in, and, eventually, cut the lead down to 35-30 by halftime. Keith Palek III led all scorers with 22 points, but teammates Kobi Williams, Trey Williams, and Zaxton King also registered double-digit points in the winning effort. Tre Williams knocked down one of his three triples with roughly six minutes to go in the second half that extended the Bears edge to 65-60.
• Then, King swished a trey ball from the top of the key, right about the two minute mark to seal the deal. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMartin’s men are now 4-1 in Conference USA, which is a bit surprising, since they ended non-conference play just 6-5.
• However, since this is a completely new roster, the tough lessons they took during their non-conference losses seem to be paying off.
• But, they do have to play their next four consecutive games on the road. If both the men’s and women’s programs can continue their success in Conference USA the rest of the way, they could really re-energize the fanbase, which has been a bit spotty in attendance at Great Southern Bank Arena. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc.