Men's Basketball Upsets St. Vincent

Bethany, W. Va - The Bethany College men's basketball team returned home for a President's Athletic Conference (PAC) matchup to face the St. Vincent Bearcats. The Bison upset the Bearcats, 68-63. The Bison were led by freshman Derek White Jr. and junior Aiden Albert with 18 points apiece. The green and white are now 4-18 (3-10) and the Bearcats are now 18-4 (11-2).

GAME OVERVIEW

1st – The Bearcats struck first with a layup to take the early lead. A Derek White Jr. steal led to an Aiden Albert layup knotting the game at 2-2. The game went back and forth, with each team answering each other's shots. The Bison took the lead with a White Jr layup, 8-7. Moments later, Khalil Wilson laid in a layup to pull the green and white ahead, 17-11. The Bearcats cut the lead and regained it with eight minutes to go in the first half, 22-20. The Bison didn't back down, knotting the game at 33-33. Bethany trailed going into halftime, 38-33.

2nd- Aiden Albert's freebies at the foul line cut the lead to three to start the second half. The Bearcats extended their lead to as many as seven before the Bison chipped away. The green and white evened the game at 46-46 from an Albert three. However, the Bearcats would take another eight point lead before the Bison had to chip away at the deficit.

Back to back layups from Wilson and White Jr. cut the lead to four, 56-52. Minutes later, another White Jr. layup knotted the game at 56-56 with under five minutes to go in the ballgame. The Bison took the lead for good from an Allayasa Bray old fashion three point play, 61-58. The Bearcats cut the Bison lead to two with under twenty seconds to go. A Bray foul shot put the Bison back up three, 66-63. Bethany put the pressure on the Bearcats to maintain the lead, Khalil Wilson picked the pocket of a Bearcat and landed at the foul line to put the game away at 68-63.

IN THE BOX SCORE
• Derek White Jr. and Aiden Albert each scored 18 points to lead the Bison
• Khalil Wilson added 12 points and pulled in a team high 7 boards
• Trent Uphold and Allayasa Bray each added eight points
• The Bison shot 43.6% from the field and 84.2% from the charity stripe
• The Bison had 12 steals. Bray led the team with four and Wilson added three, one coming in a crucial moment of the game
• The Bison dished out 10 assists. Wilson led with three dimes
• The win tonight gave the Bison their first home win since last season

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Nick Hager:

"It was another gutsy, grind-it-out game for us. Everyone stepped up at one point or another, and we made enough plays down the stretch to get another important win. Our crowd was great, especially our fellow student-athletes and staff. We will keep the momentum as we prepare for another tough test at Westminster. #OneBethany

UP NEXT
Bethany returns action on Saturday when they travel to New Wilmington, Pa to face Westminster in a PAC matchup.