MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The Bethel Wildcats will attempt to snap a two game losing streak returning home to host Middle Georgia State Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. CST. It will be the first of three straight home games to close out their regular season for the Wildcats.
Bethel is 14-12 overall and 7-7 in the SSAC. Bethel is 7-3 at home on the season and 70-22 all-time in Crisp. The Cats have lost four of their last six outings. They fell at Loyola 80-74 Saturday. They played without their leading scorer Isaac Edmondson. MGS IS 11-11 and 6-8. They have won three straight and five of their last six games. The Knights are 2-8 on the road on the year.
Bethel beat the Knights in Cochran 86-74 on January 16. The Wildcats led 39-37 at halftime and gradually pulled away for their second straight win.
Bethel shot 48 percent from the floor connecting on 29-of-60 shots. They hit four three-pointers and were superb from the free throw line knocking down 25-of-30 attempts.
The Knights were 24-of-75 from the field at 32 percent. MGS hit 11 three's on 29 attempts and were 15 -of -25 from the free throw line.
Both squads struggled with turnovers. Bethel won despite having a season high 26 turnovers. MGS had 22 on the night. The Wildcats had a 30-20 advantage in points in the paint.
Isaac Edmondson led Bethel with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Cayden Edmonson followed with 18 points. The Nappier brothers were a huge factors in the contest. Braxton had 15 points, three steals and four assists. Chase had 15 points with four steals and four assists.
Darrell White had a game high 29 points for the Knights.
It was the 5th meeting between the two programs. Bethel took a 3-2 lead in the series with the win. Bethel is 1-0 in McKenzie and 2-2 in Cochran.
Isaac Edmondson leads the Cats averaging 20.0 points per game. He is 13th in the nation in scoring. His 1, 270 points ranks 19th on Bethel's all-time scoring list. Earlier in the season he scored 43 points in a game which is the third most in a game in Bethel history. He was named the Southern States Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the second time on the season three weeks ago.
Chase Nappier has 63 steals which is third in the nation. He leads Bethel in three point attempts and made (43). He is second in scoring at 11.8 points per contest.
The Wildcats are No. 2 in offensive rebounds per game at 15.8. They have 265 steals which is 2nd in the nation. They average 10.7 steals per game which is 3rd in the country. The Cats outrebound their opponents 40-32 per game. They are 11th in rebound margin.
The Cats average 82.6 points per game and yield 76.0. They lead the SSAC in points per game. They are 11 -3 when scoring 80 or more points in a game.
Bethel is 12-1 when they lead at the half. The Cats are 12-0 when they outshoot their opponents. Bethel is 9-1 when they make more three's in a game. They are 11-6 when they outrebound their opponent.
Jeff Britt is in his 18th season as head coach of the Wildcats. He is 318-230 and has a 427 -292 career mark.
Scott Moe is in his fourth season at MGS. He has a career record of 276-194.
Darrell White leads MGS in scoring at 15.9 points per game. Roshaun Miller averages 12.2 per game. Tyrone Young follows with 10.8 while Rydealous Taylor averages with 10.3 points per outing.
Marques Hinton leads the Knights in steals with 49 which is 12th in the country. He leads his team in assists with 81.
The Knights average 73.9 points per game and yield 74.9.
Following the MGS game, the Wildcats host Brewton-Parker Saturday and then close out the regular season on February 24th against rival Martin Methodist. It will be Senior Day and White Out day at Crisp Arena. The 1982 HOF Bethel's Men's basketball team will be honored at halftime of the men's game.
The games will be carried on WEIO, 100.9 and available at www.thefarmradio.com. Video will be available on Wildcat Vision at www.bethelathletics.com.
