Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Cats Fall in Hard-Fought Battle Against No. 16 Georgetown at Crisp Arena
Posted: Jan 10, 2026

Cats Fall in Hard-Fought Battle Against No. 16 Georgetown at Crisp Arena

MCKENZIE, Tenn. — In a physical, back-and-forth conference matchup, the Bethel Wildcats came up just short Saturday afternoon, falling 70–66 to No. 16 Georgetown College inside Crisp Arena. The loss snaps Bethel's momentum at home as the Cats move to 15-3 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

After grinding out a defensive first half that saw both teams struggle from the perimeter, the Cats led 32-29 at the break. The Wildcats controlled the glass early and limited Georgetown to just 36.7 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes.

Georgetown answered in the second half behind strong interior play and timely scoring, outscoring Bethel 41–34 after halftime. The Tigers finished with a 40–30 edge in points in the paint and used second-chance opportunities to swing momentum late.

Jackson Hayes led Bethel with 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting, while David Starr added 13 points and seven rebounds. Taylor Stovall provided a spark off the bench, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor to score 10 points in 15 minutes. Bethel won the rebounding battle 45–42 but struggled to convert at the free-throw line, shooting 56 percent as a team.

Georgetown was paced by Darien Lewis, who finished with a game-high 19 points and eight rebounds. Isaiah Mason added 15 points, and Aden Nyekan chipped in 13 points and 13 rebounds to anchor the Tigers inside.

Despite holding Georgetown to just 4-of-24 shooting from three-point range, Bethel was unable to capitalize offensively, finishing 2-of-20 from beyond the arc.

"We competed and defended at a high level for most of the game, but against a team like that, every possession matters," said head coach Jeff Britt. "We had opportunities late, and it just comes down to executing and making winning plays. We'll learn from this and get better."

The Wildcats now turn their attention to a challenging road stretch as conference play continues. Bethel will travel next week to face Campbellsville before heading to Lindsey Wilson, looking to bounce back and regain momentum away from home.

 

--