MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The fourth-ranked Bethel University Lady Wildcats will look to remain unbeaten Tuesday, November 10, when they welcome Bryan College to Crisp Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT.
Bethel enters the non-conference matchup at 3–0 after opening the season with three consecutive home victories. Bryan, located in Dayton, Tennessee, comes to McKenzie at 0–2 following an 82–38 loss at No. 5 Freed-Hardeman Saturday.
The Lady Wildcats have continued to make Crisp Arena a difficult place for visiting teams. Bethel owns a 176–39 all-time record in the building, an impressive .819 winning percentage, and will pursue its 177th victory on its home floor Tuesday.
Bethel opened with a 72–54 victory over Williams Baptist before defeating College of the Ozarks 74–58 in the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Classic. The Lady Wildcats followed those performances with a 74–57 win over UT Southern November 3. Through three games, Bethel is averaging 73.3 points while allowing 56.3, producing an average winning margin of 17 points. Each victory has come by at least 16 points.
Against UT Southern, Bethel built a 22–14 first-quarter advantage and carried a 42–23 lead into halftime. The Lady Wildcats connected on 11 three-pointers, received 25 points from their bench and converted 18 Firehawk turnovers into 18 points. UT Southern held a 40–31 rebounding advantage, giving Bethel an area to address entering Tuesday's contest.
Chris Nelson is in his 21st season directing the Bethel program. His coaching résumé includes 16 NAIA national tournament appearances, four Elite Eight appearances, one Fab Four appearance and eight conference championships. A two-time NAIA Division I Coach of the Year, Nelson has established the Lady Wildcats as a consistent national contender.
Bryan is beginning a new chapter under first-year head coach Kassidy Gaylor, who took over the program in April. Gaylor previously coached at Ringgold High School in Georgia and played collegiately at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Lady Lions will seek an offensive breakthrough after scoring 48 points in their opener and 38 at Freed-Hardeman, an average of 43 points per game. Bryan committed 26 turnovers in its opening contest and 23 against FHU, making ball security an important factor against Bethel.
Autumn Davis led Bryan against Freed-Hardeman with 11 points, making all four of her field-goal attempts, including both shots from three-point range. Ashlyn Plott added eight points and two three-pointers, while Brittany Morrow contributed six points. Kaydence Wisniewski recorded four steals. Bryan shot 27.3 percent from the field and made five of 22 attempts from beyond the arc.
There has been one previous meeting between the programs, a 96–63 Lady Wildcat victory December 30, 2024, at the Lady Royals Classic in Knoxville. Mikee Buchanan led Bethel with 19 points, while Kylie Reynolds and Micah Hart scored 18 apiece. Reynolds knocked down six of Bethel's 17 three-pointers, and Hallie Turner distributed eight assists. The Lady Wildcats shot 50 percent from the floor and held a 40–30 rebounding advantage.
Tuesday's contest is the first of two scheduled meetings this season. Bethel is slated to visit Bryan's Summers Gymnasium in Dayton December 16.