In a match-up of the last of the unbeaten teams in conference play, it was the University of Dubuque getting a late bucket and a free-throw which proved to be the difference in the end of a 65-63 contest on Saturday afternoon.

Junior Cole Darrow, who finished with a game-high 18 points put BVU in front 63-60 with a pair of free-throws with 1:12 to play.  The Spartans came right back down just 10 seconds later and added two free-throws of their own to get back within a point.

Darrow's three-point attempt with 43 seconds left was off target, and the Spartans grabbed the rebound.  Then, with only 13 ticks left, Dubuque got a layup plus a free-throw to grab a two-point lead.

BVU had one last chance to tie or win, and Alex Savage's game-winning three-point attempt was off target, sending the Beavers to their first conference loss of the year.

Dubuque was one of just seven DIII schools still unbeaten coming into the contest.

It was a game in which neither team led by more than five points the entire way and featured nine ties and 17 lead changes.

Darrow made 5-of-18 shots from the field, including the team's only three-point bucket.  He also converted 7-of-12 at the free-throw line and was the only Beaver in double figures.

Nick Wuebker was next with eight points and eight rebounds, while Brett Heitkamp came off the bench and added seven points and seven boards.

As a team, the Beavers were held to just 35 percent shooting from the field and went just 1-of-18 from long range.  It made two more free-throws (22-of-27) than field goals in the contest.

Dubuque (15-0, 4-0 IIAC) also struggled from the field, making just 38 percent of its attempts, including 5-of-23 from beyond the arc.

Defensively, the Beavers outrebounded the Spartans, 32-22.

The Beavers will look to bounce back next week when it plays a pair of home games beginning with Wartburg College (8-7, 2-2 IIAC) on Wednesday night at 8:00pm.