Men's Basketball | 11/29/2012 11:57:00 PM
Box Score
McPherson, Kan. – The intensity was high in the inner-county rivalry game in Lindsborg, Kansas on Thursday as Bethany College took on McPherson College. Bethany, playing an aggressive style of basketball reminiscent of the Swedes of old, ended the contest on top 74-67.
The first half of Thursday’s game is one that head coach Tim Swartzendruber and all of Bulldog Nation would like to forget. Bethany came out aggressive, forcing bad decisions from McPherson who turned the ball over nine times in the first 10 minutes of the game and ended the opening period with 16. The Swedes took advantage of MC’s misfortunes as they got up early and stayed ahead through halftime, leading 44-31.
The Bulldogs hit 40% of their shots in the first half but were just 2-of-7 from deep and 5-of-9 from the free throw line. BC’s shooting percentage of 44.1 doesn’t express how well the Swedes were hitting their shots as they continually got the shooter’s roll on their home court. Going 7-of-14 from behind the arc helped Bethany stay ahead in the first period; Ray Purtle hit three of those shots from distance and totaled 15 points in the first 20 minutes. Jake Reinhardt (Walton, Kan.) was 3-of-3 from the field and 3-of-3 from the charity stripe to lead MC in points with nine.
Half number two went much better for the Bulldogs as they were able to pull the game into single-digits less than five minutes into the period; the game would stay around 10 points for the middle part of the half. MC got their deficit down to four with just over five minutes remaining in the game but the Swedes hit their free throws late in the game to preserve their 74-67 victory.
Both squads shot the ball right around the 40% mark as each team converted on 23 shots; MC took one more attempt than Bethany, thus having a lower shooting percentage. The Bulldogs only made 2-of-14 from three-point land which hindered any hope of overtaking Bethany who drained 8-of-19 from downtown. Neither team hit their shots from the charity stripe as both were under 60%; 34 attempts were taken by each squad in the foul happy-competition, McPherson hit 19 while Bethany made 20. Mac played a good deal of the game with three big-men which helped them grab balls off the glass as they outrebounded Bethany 45-to-36.
Brian Johnson (Kansas City, Kan.) came off the bench and scored 13 points to lead McPherson in scoring; he was 6-of-10 from the field but just 1-of-5 from the free throw line. Mason Hewitt (Norwich, Kan.) recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in his best game of the season. Devirous Johnson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) put up 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting and a perfect 4-of-4 from the stripe. Samson Shivers (Houston, Texas) had an off night as he only scored two points, both coming from the charity stripe; he went 0-of-8 from the field and was just 2-of-6 from the free throw line while committing seven turnovers, six of which came in the first half.
Four Swede players, including three starters, made it into double figures on Thursday. Purtle led the team with 22 and was followed by Trey Beachum and Dwight Abad who each had 14. Jason Mihalcin scored 13 on 5-of-6 shooting.
The Bulldogs will take on the Blue Jays of Tabor College on Saturday for their first home KCAC competition of the year. The game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (CT) in the McPherson Sport Center.
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