MOST SUCCESSFUL MEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON IN A DECADE ENDS IN KCAC TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – Avila men's basketball's 2025-26 season came to an end in the KCAC Tournament Quarterfinals on Thursday, losing to top-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan, 76-59.

Playing in their first conference tournament in four years, Avila held an early lead midway through the first half, leading 9-7 nearly eight minutes into the game.

Oklahoma Wesleyan went on a 17-1 run to take momentum and build up a 14-point lead in the span of four minutes.

Avila kept fighting throughout the fist half, trailing 36-24 entering halftime.

The visiting Eagles cut it to single-digits early in the second half, coming out of the locker room on a 10-3 run.

A big OKWU run stretched the NAIA No. 3 team's lead to 22 late in the second half. Avila kept fighting for the remainder of the contest, but saw their season come to an end and a 17-point loss.

Newly-named All-KCAC Second Team member Xavier Kahube ended his Avila career with a 16-point, 14-rebound double-double, while James Ross III's final game saw him put up 16 points off the bench.

In just two seasons with Avila, Kahube ends his career No. 10 in the program's scoring record books, tallying 963 points. Kahube's 409 total rebounds are also the sixth-most in Avila history. Kahube's 60.3 career Avila field goal percentage is the highest in program history – shattering the previous record of 56.7.

Joe Kearney wraps up his Avila career making the 10^th-most three-pointers in program history (109).

Avila ends its season with a 17-12 record, the program's highest win total since 2015-16 and the team's third-most wins in the last 25 seasons.

The Eagles finished the season with 12 KCAC victories, the program's most wins since joining the conference. 

Tyler Bredehoeft completed his third season at the helm of the Avila men's basketball program. Bredehoeft's Eagles have increased their win total in each of his three seasons in charge and have grown the program's win total by 13 since his first season.

(photo credit: Ali Nassir)