The Bethel Wildcats streaked out to a 14-5 lead to start their conference season opener against #22 Union University, but could not hold off the Bulldogs in the end losing, 68-90.

Bethel went on an early 8-0 run as it sprinted out to a 14-5 lead with 15:30 left in the first. The Bulldogs answered right back with a pair of threes and some free throws to tie the game at 14:01. Brennen Ward’s bucket got the ‘Cats to within one at 9:46, but that is as close as they would get. Union went on a 14-0 run to take an 18-33 lead with 5:15 left and settled for a 16 point advantage at the half, 30-46.

The second half didn’t fair better for the Wildcats, who trailed by as many as 29 points with 9:19 left in the contest. The Wildcats’ LeRoy Bell led all scorers in the second half with 15, but it wasn’t enough. As a team, the Wildcats shot only 41% from the floor, 27% from behind the arc and only 54% from the charity stripe in the second half.

Bethel did well defensively, holding the nations #1 scorer Matt Neaville to only 18 points. Neaville was averaging 30 points a game to lead the NAIA. LeRoy Bell led the Wildcats scoring effort with 17 points. He added five rebounds, four assists and two turnovers. Leon Sewell had 13 points, six boards, three blocks and one steal. Octavious Thompson had 10 points and two boards. Derek Demaree and Brennen Ward each had eight points.

The Wildcats fall to 9-2 (0-1) on the season. They will be on the road Thursday, January, 10, 2008 to play #18 Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tenn. Tip off is set for 8:00pm. The Wildcats return home to face #7 Trevecca Nazarene University on Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 4:00pm. The game is going to be taped delayed by WLJT (Charter channel 11).