COCHRAN, Ga. –The No. 20 Bethel Lady Wildcats began their three game conference road trip with a 53-47 victory at Middle Georgia State in Cochran, Georgia Thursday. It was Bethel's seventh straight win and moved them to 13-6 overall and 5-1 in SSAC action. MGS fell for the sixth consecutive time and dropped to 4-12 and 1-6.
Neither team had their shooting eye as both shot under 30 percent for the game. Bethel was 21-of-76 for 27 percent. MGS was 17-of-76 at just 22 percent. Bethel was 4-of-27 in three point attempts at 14 percent. MGS hit four threes in 18 attempts at 22 percent. The Lady Cats hit seven free throws on 15 attempts at 46 percent. The Knights knocked down 9-of-14 tries from the foul line.
Bethel had a 61-50 rebound advantage and is 13-2 on the season when outrebounding their opponents. The Lady Cats held on for the win after leading by 17 with six and half minutes left in the game. Bethel's bench was a big factor outscoring the MGS reserves 16-2.
Laurhen Pickett picked up her sixth double-double of the year with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Morgan Martin and Brandi Goodman both finished with nine points.
Kianna Delas led MGS with 17 points. Middle Georgia's TyAsia Grayer had a game high 16 rebounds.
It was the fifth meeting between the two programs. Bethel leads the series 5-0. They are 1-0 in McKenzie and have a 4-0 advantage in Cochran.
Coach Chris Nelson said it wasn't pretty but he will take the win. "Winning ugly on the road is a fine art but an ugly win is better than a conference road loss anytime. We have always struggled to shoot the ball well in Cochran and tonight was no different. We did our job on the boards for the most part and figured out a way to hang on. We got up 17 in the 4th and got lackadaisical and started going through the motions. We got enough Post touches to allow us to hang on in a game where we could not get a flow vs. the 1-2-2 match up they like to play. Laurhen was terrific for us again tonight and we were especially proud of LeLe (Sword) coming in off the bench and sharing the point guard duties on a night where Bri Fields was out. It was a team effort tonight and we had to grind it out."
Bethel remains on the road in Georgia traveling to Mt. Vernon Saturday to face Brewton-Parker at 1 p.m. CST.
There will be no local radio coverage. Live video will be available at: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/bpc/
Updates will also be posted on the Bethel Sports Information Facebook page and Twitter page.
After the game at Brewton-Parker game Bethel travels to Faulkner in Montgomery on January 27. They return home February 1 to host Blue Mountain.
