MCKENZIE, TENN. (Dec. 14, 2007) – The Bethel Wildcats held serve at home in their McDonald’s Classic opener with a defeat of the Bearcats of Rust College, 97-81. Rust is a NCAA D-III team from Holly Springs, Miss.

The Wildcats rode the hot shooting of Brian French and Clint Blackburn in the first half.  French scored 12 in the first frame, hitting 5 of 7 from the floor.  Blackburn added 11 shooting 4 of 7 from the floor and 2 of 2 from the line.  Bethel also was able to get up the floor quickly, scoring 12 fast break points to Rust’s 2.  Then, Bethel went on a 9-0 run to open a 10-point lead with 9:15 in the first.  The Wildcats opened their biggest lead as Blackburn hit a three ball to put them up by 13.  The Bearcats battled back to cut the lead to four at the break.

Bethel’s Derek Demaree and Antonie Lesesene paced the Wildcats in the second frame, each dropping in 11 points.  The Wildcats continued to keep the pressure on and never lost the lead in the second half.  Bethel took its largest lead of the game, going up 19 on Lesesene’s two with 10:29 left.  The closest Rust would get is 13, with :39 seconds to go.

Clint Blackburn led the Wildcats offense with 17 points, three assists and one steal.  Antoine Lesesene had 15 points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal.  Brain French also had 15 points, with two rebounds, one assist and two steals.  Derek Demaree has 14 points and three steals.  LeRoy Bell dished off eight assists and Brennen Ward had six assists.

The Wildcats improve to 8-1 on the season and will play Missouri Baptist University on Saturday, December 15, 2007 at 1:00pm as the Bethel McDonald’s Classic concludes.