BILLINGS, MT –The Bethel Lady Wildcats bowed out of the 2018 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship Thursday night falling to Vanguard 76-57. Bethel completed their season at 20-11 while Vanguard moved to 23-5 on the year.
The Lady Wildcats were making their sixth straight and ninth all-time appearance in the national tournament.
A cold shooting first half by the Lady Wildcats proved to be too much to overcome. Bethel shot just 23 percent in the first 20 minutes going 7-of-30 from the floor. They were 5-of-20 from three-point range at 25 percent. Vanguard was 12-of-29 at 41 percent in the half. The Lady Lions hit 5-of-13 three point attempts at 38 percent. Vanguard led 33-20 at the half. The second quarter was tough for both squads as they combined for just 16 points on six combined field goals.
Bethel's shots began to fall in the second half but Vanguard stayed the course and in the end would maintain a double digit lead throughout the half.
Bethel finished the contest hitting 21-of-60 shots for 35 percent. They were 9-of-33 from three-point range at 27 percent. The Lady Cats hit six of nine free throw attempts. Vanguard was 26-of-55 from the floor at 47 percent. They knocked down 10-of-24 three-point attempts at 41 percent. The Lady Lions were 14-of-18 from the foul line. Bethel out rebounded the Lions 36-33.
Shamon Pearson led Bethel with 15 points. Morgan Martin followed with 13 points. Jasmine Whittemore finished with nine points. Meghan Poneueta led Vanguard with 21 points. Victoria Chea had 16 in the Lion victory.
Pearson completed her outstanding Bethel career with 1, 460 points which places her fourth in Lady Wildcat history. She had 217 career assists which is 14th all-time. Her three three-pointers gave her 202 career treys which is third all-time in program history. She passed former Bethel greats Kayla McSweeney and Kelsey Hamilton in her last game as a Wildcat.
Whittemore finished her great career with 162 three's which is ninth all-time in program history.
Coach Chris Nelson said, "Tonight was tough. Vanguard got off to a hot start and I thought we look timid on offense. We made a couple of pushes but every time we did Vanguard made some big shots. Offensively we didn't get movement from side to side and enough looks inside but a lot of that is due to Vanguard taking angles away and our players were not making the plays to get it to the proper spots as the game went on. I appreciate our battle and effort to not give up and that shows on the board war but it is still a very disappointing loss. I want to thank our coaches, players and fans for a good year and we have some bright spots to celebrate. It is also an accomplishment to get back to the nationals but we will also come together as a staff and figure out what we need to do to make sure we don't fall short of our goals moving forward."
