LAKELAND, Fla. –After a disappointing loss to Southeastern University Monday in the SEU Classic, the Bethel Lady Wildcats bounced back with a 69-59 victory over Ave Maria Tuesday. The Lady Cats used three-pointers and late free throws for the most part to beat the Gyrenes.
The (RV) Lady Wildcats improved to 12-3 while Ave Maria fell to 6-5 on the season.
Anaya Patterson (2) Kylie Reynolds (2) Madison Hart (1) and Kaylynn Howard (1) combined for six early three-pointers to get the Lady Cats an early lead. Six of Bethel's seven field goals in the period were three-pointers. The Cats led 22-15 after the first quarter.
The Lady Cats stretched their lead to as many as 13 at 34-21 late in the second quarter. Bethel led 37-26 at the half. Reynolds led the Cats with 11 points. Patterson and Hart followed with ten points each.
Ave Marie cut Bethel's lead to 40-32 early in the third quarter but the Cats used the scoring of Patterson and Hart to pull away to lead 54-40 after three quarters.
Bethel scored just nine points in the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter which allowed Ave Maria to pull to within four at 61-57 with two minutes left. Bethel would hit some key baskets and free throws to secure the victory.
Ave Maria outrebounded Bethel 43-32 but the Cats forced the Gyrenes into 25 turnovers. Bethel had a 32-11 advantage in points off turnovers. Bethel finished with eleven made three-pointers. Patterson had five treys. Ave Maria had a 41-0 margin in bench points.
Three players finished in double figures for Bethel. Hart led the Cats with 23 points. Patterson had 21 points while Reynolds had 11 points. Alyia Lee had nine points and a team high eight rebounds. Kalynn Howard had five points, six rebounds and a team-high six assists.
Maria Kuhlman led Ave Maria with 18 points.
Coach Chis Nelson was pleased with the win. "Today was a great bounce back win to end a solid first semester. Yesterday we got off to a slow start to a really good SEU team and today we were able to come able with a quick start and not look back. We had to work for it the entire game, but I thought we made some big winning plays today when the game got tight. We will take a week for Christmas holidays and then get ready for conference play." Nelson added, "We want to thank our fans for their support and wish all a Merry and Blessed Christmas."
The Lady Wildcats return to action December 30 in an exhibition game at Lee University. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. CT.
It will be the first meeting between the two programs since 2013. They first met in 1990. Bethel owns a 5-4 advantage in the series.
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