Heartbreaking Finale: Bethel Falls to UC -Head to Bowling Green
MCKENZIE, Tenn. - In a game that came down to the final moments, the Bethel Wildcats suffered a gut-wrenching 78-77 loss to the Cumberlands Patriots on Senior Day at Crisp Arena. It was a day to celebrate the careers of five seniors—Connor Guthrie, Tyler Neely, Kendan Maddox, Akeyse Rice, and Brennon Marsh.
The Wildcats led for much of the game, jumping out to a 12-point lead at halftime. They controlled the paint, outscoring the Patriots 40-24 down low and pulling down 44 rebounds to Cumberlands' 37. But in the second half, the Patriots found their rhythm, shooting 50% from the field and hitting timely three-pointers to erase Bethel's lead.
Connor Guthrie, playing with the poise of a veteran, finished with 10 points and six rebounds, knocking down two key three-pointers to keep Bethel in the fight. Kendan Maddox battled in the paint all night, securing nine rebounds to go with his eight points. Akeyse Rice played efficiently, making both of his shots while adding three rebounds. Brennon Marsh gave everything he had defensively, grabbing seven rebounds, while Tyler Neely, though limited in minutes, remained a vocal leader from the sideline.
BJ Starr had 14 points while Ethan Turner led the Wildcats with a team high 16 points and eight rebounds.
UC's Anthony Johnson completed a three-point play with 13 seconds remaining as the #19 Patriots erased a 15-point deficit for the one point win. With the victory, Cumberlands clinches their second straight Mid-South Conference regular season title and there first outright championship since 2003.
With just seconds remaining, Bethel had one last chance. Down by a point, they executed a play to perfection, but a jumper by Chauncey Hughes III went awry.
Head Coach Jeff Britt struggled to find the words but summed up his emotions in the postgame press conference: "This one hurts. These seniors gave everything to this program. They fought until the very end, and I couldn't be prouder of them. The scoreboard doesn't define their legacy."
For Guthrie, Neely, Maddox, Rice, and Marsh, the loss stings, but their impact on Bethel basketball will be felt long after their final game. The seniors will have a chance to keep the season alive traveling to Bowling Green for the MSC tournament beginning next weekend.
Mid-South Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket Announced
MSC Men's Basketball Tournament Page: https://mid-southconference.org/documents/2025/2/22//MSC_MBB_Tournament_2025.pdf?id=469
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Cumberlands (Ky.) is the top seed in the 2025 Mid-South Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, conference officials announced today with the release of the tournament bracket.
The conference tournament begins on Sunday, March 2, with three quarterfinal games. It continues on Monday with two semifinal games and concludes on Tuesday with the championship game. All games are slated to be played at Studle Financial Arena on the campus of Bowling Green High School.
The Patriots earned the top seed after finishing the regular season with a conference-best 10-2 record. Cumberlands (21-7) receives a bye into the tournament's semifinals and awaits a quarterfinal winner.
No. 4-seed Cumberland (Tenn.) (12-15, 5-7) meets fifth-seeded Bethel (Tenn.) (16-11, 4-8) at 2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 2, in the tournament's first quarterfinal game. The Cumberland-Bethel winner plays Cumberlands in Monday's first semifinal.
Campbellsville (Ky.) and Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) finished the season tied in the standings. Based on the conference's tiebreaker, the Tigers earned the No. 6 seed based on sweeping Lindsey Wilson during the regular season.
In the lower half of the bracket, No. 2-seed Georgetown (Ky.) (25-3, 9-3) faces No. 7-seed Lindsey Wilson (16-12, 3-9) at 5 p.m. CT on Sunday. No. 3-seed Freed-Hardeman (23-5, 8-4) plays sixth-seeded Campbellsville (12-16, 3-9) in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m. CT.
The two winners play in the second semifinal on Monday. The championship game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, March 4.
The tournament champion receives the conference's automatic bid into the NAIA National Tournament later in March.