Glendale, Ariz. – OUAZ Men's Basketball fell 71–55 to No. 2 Arizona Christian on Thursday night at the ACU Events Center, wrapping up a challenging road matchup against one of the nation's top-ranked programs. The Firestorm established momentum early with a 34–19 first-half lead and stayed in front the rest of the way, outscoring the Spirit 37–36 in the second half.

Zeke Viuhkola led OUAZ with 14 points while adding three rebounds and two assists, providing steady production in the backcourt. DJ Jones added nine points off the bench, and Gabe Schulhauser contributed eight points on a perfect shooting night. Carter Gittens finished with six points and three rebounds, and Max Mkpa matched him with six boards to help anchor the interior. Despite the effort on the glass, OUAZ was edged 39–35 in total rebounds and shot 35 percent from the field while going 6-for-23 from beyond the arc.

Arizona Christian countered with balanced scoring and a consistent presence in the paint, maintaining control throughout the night. OUAZ showed improvement offensively in the second half but was unable to erase the early deficit.

The Spirit will return to action on November 29 when they travel to face Nelson (AZ) at 7 p.m. MST. Stay updated on all things OUAZ Athletics by visiting ouazspirit.com and following @OUAZSpirit on X (Twitter) and  @ouazspirit Instagram.