The Swedes’ women’s basketball team led nearly from wire-to-wire on Wednesday night and came up with another home win over Bethel, 55-41.
Neither team was able to light it up shooting the basketball on Wednesday at Hahn Gym. The two teams combined to only make seven 3-pointers in the game and combined for 46 turnovers.
Still, Bethany was able to overcome poor shooting and led 14-9 after one and 28-20 at halftime.
Bethel, however, heated up to start the third quarter. After the Swedes scored the first four points of the period, Bethel responded with an 11-0 run led by the offensive rebounding of Abby Schmidt.
The run pulled the Threshers to within one of the Swedes, 32-31. That was the closest Bethel would get for the game, though.
Bethany’s Autumn Garrett pestered the Bethel guards in the full-court press all game. Garrett had four steals in the game, including two in the third quarter. That led Bethany on an extended 17-0 run over the coarse of the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth.
The run was too much for Bethel to counter as the Swedes held a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game. Bethany forced 31 turnovers in the game to create separation.
Bethel (11-14, 7-12 KCAC) had two players tallying double-doubles. Schmidt led the Threshers with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Alex Bearup had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Bethany (18-7, 15-5 KCAC) had nine different players score over the coarse of the game. Both Garrett and Hannah Ferguson led the Swedes with 10 points, each.
The win moves Bethany in to third place in the league standings and back to two-games out of the first place tie between Sterling and Kansas Wesleyan.
Bethany is off this Saturday and travels to Kansas City next Wednesday to take on fourth place, Avila.
Bethel Men 93, BETHANY 69
The Bethel Threshers outscored Bethany 52-37 in the second half in a dominating road victory at Hahn Gym on Wednesday.
The Swedes hung around in the first half and appeared to have some momentum going in to halftime after an Isiah Saenz 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer gave Bethany some life, down 41-32.
However, towards the middle of the second half, Bethel (18-7, 13-6 KCAC) had an 11-4 extended run that put the Swedes away. Bethel was led by a season high 14 3-pointers in the game. The Threshers entered Wednesday as the worst 3-point shooting team in the KCAC.
The Threshers had four in double-figures on Wendesday with both Garrett White and Jaylon Scott scoring 20 points, each. Dakota Foster scored 16, while Terrell Marshall had 14 points in the win.
Meanwhile, Bethany (9-15, 6-14 KCAC) could only muster up five made 3s in the game and combined the poor perimeter shooting with 21 turnovers on Wednesday.
Saenz led Bethany with 15 points, while Dylan Smith, Milton Massey and Ray Miller all added in 11 points, each.
With the loss, Bethany remains in 10th place in the KCAC standings and two full games back of the eighth-place spot, which is the last spot that makes it in to the KCAC Postseason Tournament.
Bethany has its bye-game on Saturday, so the Swedes’ next game is at Avila next Wednesday. Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. on 95.5 The Rock.
