Cats Drop Tight Game to Phoenix in Lebanon
LEBANON, Tenn. – The Bethel Wildcats battled the Cumberland University Phoenix Thursday night in a game which went to the wire in Lebanon. The Phoenix prevailed, winning 79-76.
The Cats dropped to 12-10 overall and 1-5 in the Mid-South Conference.
Cumberland improved to 6-14 and 2-4 in the league.
The Cats committed 14 first half turnovers and trailed 38-29 at the break.
Bethel trailed 58-50 with nine minutes left in the game but stormed back to pull within one at 61-60 with six minutes left. The teams traded baskets for several minutes until Bethel's Connor Guthrie hit a three pointer to tie the game at 68 with three minutes left. After five straight points by the Phoenix, Tyler Neely nailed a three to pull Bethel to within two at 73-71. CU would go on however to win by three.
Both teams shot 42 percent from the floor. CU hit eight three-pointers. Bethel connected on four treys. The Wildcats had a 49-38 margin in rebounding and 44-28 advantage in points in the paint but hit only 14-of -23 free throw attempts.
Querrion Gadson led Bethel with a game high 23 points. Jose Nazario had 16 points. Guthrie finished with 11 tallies while Neely hit double figures with 10 points.
Demarius Boyd led CU with 18 points.
The Wildcats return home Saturday to face rival No. 6 Freed-Hardeman at 3 p.m. The Wildcats ran into a hot shooting Freed-Hardeman earlier this season in Henderson. The then No 11 Lions shot 60 percent from the floor and knocked down 16 three-pointers enroute to a 100-54 win over the Wildcats.
It was the 29th meeting between the two programs with FHU holding a 23-6 advantage in the series.
Freed led 54-22 at the half. Bethel shot just 25 percent from the floor and was 5-of-21 in their three-point attempts.
Querrion Gadson was the only Wildcat in double digits with 11 points.
Five Lions finished in double figures with Quan Lax leading FHU with 16 points.
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Video:
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Stats:
https://bethel.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2023-24/boxscores/20240203_479a.xml
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