Game Notes
Live Video
Live Stats
Live Audio
McPherson, Kan. – Conference season begins for the KCAC this Thursday and the Bulldogs of McPherson College head to Lindsborg, Kansas for an 8:00 p.m. (CT) showdown with their inter-county rivals in Bethany College on December 4th; junior varsity tips off at 4:00.
It has been a rough few games for McPherson as they're struggling to score. In their most recent loss, Mac got down early to Doane College. The 'Dogs didn't score for the final 4:28, sending them into the locker room trailing 36-16; MC shot in just 7-of-21 field goals in the first half.
The second period was again a slow start for the Bulldogs; they stayed behind by 20+ for all but three minutes. The Tigers held off late scoring by McPherson for the 67-50 win. McPherson counted 12-of-32 in the second half.
McPherson ended the contest hitting 19-of-53 from the field including 4-of-18 from downtown; they connected on a mere 53.3% from the free throw line, 8-of-15. The 'Dogs rebounded 31 balls including 11 on the offensive end. The team tabbed 15 turnovers, eight blocks, five steals, and just four assists.
Darius Hill again led MC in scoring with his 16 points on 8-of-15 field goals; he also recorded 10 rebounds, a pair of steals and two blocks in his team-high 31 minutes played. DeAndre Henson entered the game from the bench and scored 14; he made 3-of-5 from two-point land, 2-of-5 from deep, and 2-of-5 from the stripe. Page Beeler didn't score any points but made his presence known on the defensive end as he blocked away a career-high six shots.
Ranked Bulldogs: Mac ranks 13th in the NAIA D-II in total offensive rebounds per game with 14.11. Darius Hill is 16th in total rebounds a night with 9.4 and is 20th in total rebounds with 85.
McPherson travels to North Newton on December 5th for a 7:00 p.m. contest with the Bethel College Threshers.
Scouting Bethany
The Swedes have been bookended by their two loses this season; BC lost their opener to Avila University and lost to Dordt College in their most recent game. In between the two losses, Bethany won five, scoring 90+ in each of the contests. Bethany played in an exhibition game with Colorado Christian University for their most recent non-countable loss.
Free throws were the difference between the Swedes and DC last Friday at the Colorado Christian Classic; Dordt made 30-of-35 while Bethany counted just 13-of-23. BC played catch-up from the beginning but never trailed by more than eight and kept it within a few most of the way. The Defenders went into halftime up 41-36. In the second, Bethany took a brief lead in the opening minutes but trailed for the final 16. Dordt's lead didn't reach double figures until there were less than eight minutes remaining; DC held off a late comeback for the 82-75 win.
Bethany scored on 41.3% (26-of-63) from the floor and went 10-of-27 from downtown. The Swedes were outrebounded 47-30 and gave up 15 offensive boards. The team tallied 16 turnovers, eight assists, and eight steals. Four players hit double-digits scoring for BC. Leading the way was Cody Harris who scored 23; he went 7-of-15 from the floor with 6-of-11 falling from deep and 3-of-4 from the stripe. Jonathan Gidson scored 13 with six coming from the foul line. Joining Gidson as a reserve, Chris Robinson bucketed 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Nathan Coleman led the team in rebounds with 12 and added in 11 points on his 4-of-13 night from the field and 2-of-2 from the line.
As a team, Bethany leads the KCAC in four categories: scoring average at 89.7 ppg, field goal percentage at 49.9%, three-point field goal percentage at 39.9%, and blocked shots with 4.57 a night. They have a +10 scoring margin and are making 7.8 three pointers each time out. The Swedes do struggle from the line as they make a KCAC-low 62.8% of their tries. The team is pulling in 40.1 rebounds, record 17.3 assists, turn the ball over 18.0 times, and steal 9.3 balls a game.
Harris is scoring 20.6 points on average to lead Bethany; he has made 29 three pointers and also leads the team in blocks with nine. Gary Jones is second on the team in scoring with his 18.1 average; the forward has made a team-high 54 field goals. Gidson and Coleman both are tallying double figures every night at 15.1 and 13.1, respectively; Coleman leads the team in rebounds with an average of 9.3.
Bethany heads to Ottawa University for their next conference bout on December 5th.
