With Undefeated Record on the Line, Lady Cats Come through in Fourth

MCKENZIE, Tenn. –The No. 16 Bethel Lady Wildcats wrapped up their three-game excursion with a late afternoon game against a talented Johnson College Lady Royals team in the Lady Royals Classic in Knoxville Sunday.

With their undefeated record on the line, the Lady Cats outscored Johnson 24-11 in the fourth to win 77-69.

Off to their best start in program history, the Cats are 14-0 on the season. Johnson dropped to 11-2 and had their five-game win streak snapped with the loss.

The Royals led 17-15 after the first quarter. Johnson outscored Bethel 22-16 in the second quarter to lead39-31 at the break. JC shot 51 percent from the floor in the half while the Lady Cats shot 36 percent. Madison Hart led Bethel with 11 points in the half. Emily Wilson led the Royals with 11 points in the half. 

The Royals maintained the lead throughout the third quarter and led by as many as 10 at one point. The Cats hung tough and trailed 58-53 at the end of the quarter.

The Cat owned the fourth stanza with a 24-11 margin. Key contributors in the quarter were Hart, Hallie Turner, Mikee Buchanan. All had key plays in the final ten minutes.

Madison Hart led Bethel with 23 points. Turner scored 12 of her 20 points in the fourth. Buchanan had 11 points while Micah Hart finished with 10 tallies.

The Cats shot 49 percent from the field and hit seven three-pointers. Bethel was 20-of-29 from the free throw line. BU had a 35-30 advantage in rebounds.

Emily Wilson led the Royals with 16 points.  

Johnson College is 11-1 and has won five straight.

The Lady Wildcats are back in action opening MSC play Thursday, January 9 at 5:30 hosting longtime rival Cumberland University. Bethel is 168-38 all-time in the arena which opened in 2012.

CU has won three in a row in the series, but Bethel leads the series 11-9.

Former Bethel Assistant Coach Mark Vaughn is the head coach at CU.