Men's Basketball | 1/21/2012 10:40:00 PM
Box Score 1 Box Score
McPherson, Kan. – Aaron Frazier (McPherson, Kan.) scored a team-high 23 points, including eight straight to open the contest, as the No. 6 McPherson College men’s basketball team defeated Bethel College, 81-69, Saturday night at the McPherson Sport Center.
With the victory, McPherson improved to 20-2 on the season and 9-1 in the KCAC, while the Threshers fell to 1-18 overall and 1-9 in league play. Additionally, the victory extended MC’s win streak to five games.
Frazier, who posted his second consecutive 20-point performance, led four Bulldogs in double figures.
Samson Shivers (Houston, Texas) added 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including one of McPherson’s four 3-pointers. Shivers added four rebounds and one assist in 22 minutes of action.
Adam Bruner (McPherson, Kan.) added his fourth double-digit scoring effort on the season with 11 points, four steals and three assists, while
Jordan Crawford (McPherson, Kan.) posted his sixth double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
McPherson, who finished the contest shooting 47.5 percent (29-of-61) from the field, held a dominate 42-29 advantage in rebounding, including 17 offensive rebounds. The Bulldogs also forced 15 Thresher turnovers.
The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 8-2 lead behind three free throws, a layup and 3-pointer from Frazier. Bethel, however, refused to layover early on and pulled the score to 8-7 on a Jared Regehr 3-pointer with 15:34 left in the first.
MC would extend its lead to as much as 10 points part way through the period, but mustered only a six point, 38-32, lead at the half.
The two sides would grind through the opening 10 minutes of the second half, before McPherson locked in a double-figure advantage following a
Kasey Miller (Derby, Kan.) 3-pointer, 61-49, at the 9:12 mark of the period. The Bulldogs would cruise from that point forward en route to the 12-point victory.
Bethel finished the contest shooting 48.1 percent (26-of-54) from the field, but struggled to just a 57.9 percent (11-of-19) success rate at the foul line. Lee Griffin led BC with a career-high 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting. Griffin added a team-high six rebounds in the effort.
McPherson returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 26, when they host Tabor College. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. (CT).
