Wildcats Clash with Pikeville at Home Saturday
The Bethel Wildcats play their fourth consecutive home game when they host Pikeville in Mid-South Conference action Saturday at 3 p.m. in Crisp Arena.
The Wildcats are undefeated at 5-0 overall for their best start in six years. BU is 3-0 on their home court this season. Bethel edged visiting Shawnee State 66-63 to begin conference play Thursday. The Cats overcame an 11-point second half deficit by shooting 52 percent down the stretch and hitting key free throws in the final minutes. Three Bethel players scored in double figures led by Querrion Gadson with 16 points and seven rebounds. Keyshawn Kennedy added 15 and went six-of-six at the foul line. Connor Guthrie contributed 13 points with three 3-pointers. Bethel had a 34-16 advantage in bench points and scored 23 points off Shawnee State's 19 turnovers.
Pikeville is 2-2 on the year and 0-1 in league action. The Bears are 0-1 in road games. UPIKE comes off consecutive losses to Olivet Nazarene and Freed-Hardeman. In the 85-65 defeat at Freed-Hardeman Thursday to open the MSC schedule, Devin Collins was high scorer for the Bears with 23 points. Korbin Spencer tossed in 11, and Jacob Brown and Elijah Herron tallied 10 points each.
It is the fifth meeting between the two programs. Pikeville leads the series 3-1 and has a 1-0 advantage in games played in McKenzie. The Bears won 86-80 at Crisp Arena in the only game played between the teams last season. Three of the four contests were decided by fewer than 10 points, including a 94-86 win by Pikeville in the first round of the 2015 NAIA National Championship in Kansas City.
Bethel is 115-43 all-time in Crisp Arena.
Coach Jeff Britt is in his 23rd year with the Wildcats. He has 498 career wins.
The Wildcats have four players averaging in double figures. Querrion Gadson leads Bethel in scoring with 12.4 points per game and has recorded four games with more than 10 points. Tyler Neely averages 11.6 points per contest. Yassine Zlitni, named conference Player of the Week last Monday, adds 10.2 points per outing. Keyshawn Kennedy is good for 10.0 points on average.
Bethel averages 73.0 points and yields 61.4 points per game. BU is outrebounding their opponents 36-26 per contest. The Wildcats are shooting 49 percent from the floor and averaging 12 assists and 10 steals per game.
Pikeville averages 75.0 points and yields 69.3 points per contest. The Bears shoot 45 percent from the field and outrebound their competition 36-35 per outing.
UPIKE also has four players averaging more than 10 points per game. Shaunn Monroe leads the team in scoring at 17.7 per game. Devin Collins adds 15.0 points per contest. Jacob Brown tallies 10.8 points per game. Teddy Parham Jr. records 10.3 points on average.
Coverage
Video: https://bethelathletics.com/watch
Stats: https://bethelathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/boxscores/20221119_j0pi.xml
Tickets: https://bethelathletics.com/tickets
There will be no local radio coverage due to Bethel football.
Official Game Notes: https://bethelathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/2022-23_Men-s_Basketball_Game_Notes_vs._Pikeville.pdf