Men's Basketball: Bison defeat Titans to earn spot in the playoffs

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The men's basketball team traveled to Westminster for their final game of the regular season. This game was a must-win for the Bethany Bison. Their Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) playoff hopes were still alive if they were able to walk away with a victory. The game came down to the final moments with the Bison locking up a win and a playoff spot with a 89-85 victory over the Titans. 

GAME FLOW/HIGHLIGHTS  

• There were many lead changes early on. Teams swapped points fairly often until the Bison held onto a 17-15 lead seven minutes into the game.  

• Bethany kept a slight lead, never reaching the double digit mark. Feeling some heat on defense and attempting to sort out what they are seeing, Bethany called a timeout up 26-24.  

• The Titans tied the game up on a Quincy Jones layup, and then took the lead in style with a Jones dunk. Another layup gave Westminster their first two-possession lead of the game. 

• Bethany didn't let Westminster get too comfortable with the lead. They snatched it right back in under a minute. Colin Meany splashed a three to make it a one point game. Tony Fox burglarized the ball (his first of three steals) and dumped it off to leading scorer Cole Dailey for an easy layup to regain the lead.  

• Ben Guffey had the early hot hand going 5-6 from deep in the first half. His fifth late three broke a tie and helped the Bison take a 45-43 lead into halftime 

• Much like the start of the game, the start of the second half saw the Bison and Titans trading leads back and forth until Troy Hixson sank a layup to give Bethany the 49-48 lead three minutes into the last half. The Bison did not trail in the game from that point on. 

• Bethany Head Coach Brad Johnson continued to space out his timeouts to make micro-adjustments on the court. These adjustments which proved successful on both sides of the ball. Defensively, the Bison cut Westminster's shooting from 50% in the first half to 37% in the second half. Offensively, they took advantage of their open looks shooting over 50% in the game. 

• With five minutes remaining, back-to-back Jaydis Kennedy a wide open lay-up and the Bison a 80-73 lead. 

• The Titans were held secure before making a huge last minute run to bring the game within one possession 87-85 and 16 seconds on the clock.  

• Westminster was forced to foul. With the PAC playoffs on the line, Hixson gently dropped both free throws into the bottom of the bucket to put the game out of reach for the Titans; reserving a line in the PAC playoff bracket with an 89-85 win. 

 BOX SCORE METRICS  

• A full team effort as all five Bethany starters scored in the double digits tonight.  

• Cole Dailey had all three of Bethany's blocks. Westminster combined for two. 

• Fox was sly around the ball leading both teams in steals (three) and assists (seven). 

• Westminster out boarded Bethany 44-33. 

• There was never a double-digit lead in this game 

BY THE NUMBERS  

• Bethany shot over 50% on the game and shot 42.9% from beyond the arc. 

• Bethany had a perfectionist on the court. Kennedy went 100% for the game: 5-for-5 with a three and a made foul shot. 

• Westminster's Jones led the game in scoring with 24 points. He accounted for 25 of the Titan's 73 shots or 34.2% of attempts. 

RECORDS  

Bethany College - (9-15, 8-12 PAC) 

Westminster - (10-14,8-12 PAC) 

UP NEXT  

The #6 Bison will be competing in the PAC Tournament. They will travel to Pittsburgh, Pa. to take on #3 Chatham (17-8, 15-5 PAC). This playoff game is set to begin at 7:30 PM