FAIRFIELD, Ala. – The Spring Hill College (SHC) men's basketball team finished the 2017-2018 season with a heartbreaking 80-77 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) West Division loss at the buzzer to the Miles College Golden Bears on Saturday afternoon at Knox-Windham Gymnasium.
 
In a game originally scheduled for November 30, 2017, but postponed due to a broken rim during pregame warmups, Miles led by as much as 15 points with 2:21 left before halftime, but the Badgers began the hard climb back into the game early in the second half. With 9 seconds remaining, senior Badger guard Jack Morrissey tied the game at 77-77 with his fifth 3-pointer of the game, but Chris English of the Bears would break the Badgers' hearts with a long 3-pointer as the final horn sounded.
 
Junior Brandon Fischer scored a game-high 21 points while fellow junior Chase Shellman put 18 points through the hoops. Morrissey scored 17 and William Loyd added 10 points with nine rebounds. SHC shot 48.3% (29-60) from the field and 41.7% (10-24) from 3-point range. The Badgers suffered 14 turnovers against nine steals by the Golden Bears and earned a 38-28 victory in rebounding. At the free throw line, SHC made 64.3% (9-14) of their foul shots.
 
Sheldon Wright of the Golden Bears (7-19, 6-13 SIAC West) had 18 points to lead Miles. The Bears shot an even 50% (31-62) from the floor and 44% (11-25) from 3-point distance while losing 12 turnovers to four steals by the Badgers. The Bears completed 77.8% (7-9) of their free throw opportunities.
 
In their final year of transition into full membership of NCAA Division II, the Badgers closed the year with a 12-16 overall record and a 9-10 mark in the SIAC West while Miles will begin play in the 2018 SIAC Championship Tournament in Birmingham on Tuesday.