Men's Basketball: Bison downed by Barons

Drew Vonscio, Student Assistant for Athletic Communications 

BETHANY, W.Va. – The Green and White kicked off the second half of their schedule hoping that a new year would bring them new fortune on their home court. Things quickly turned south as Franciscan came to town and defeated Bethany 69-57.

Both teams struggled to crack the scoreless stalemate, but freshman Troy Hixson finally found the breakthrough just over 90 seconds in with a layup. A quick response from Franciscan knotted it up at two-a-piece, and the sides broke into another scoreless streak before a free throw gave the visitors their first lead. Chance Wells connected from outside the arc to give the Bison another lead. Bethany led well into the first half as Cole Dailey started to get involved with a pair of layups. Tony Fox added a layup as did Hixson before Dailey provided a third, but Franciscan quickly took the lead with a three-pointer just eight seconds after Dailey's bucket. This would be the last time the hosts saw themselves in front for the duration of the contest. Graduate student Chance Wright got involved later in the half with a jumper to keep the deficit at six points. Franciscan quickly turned their single-digit margin into double-digits as they went into the break ahead 44-29.

Dailey and Wells scored the first four points of the second half with a layup and a jump shot to cut the difference down to nine points. Buckets from Wells and Quinn Hiles kept the Bison within 10, as the back-and-forth came continued with the Barons pulling ahead and then the Bison getting those points right back, but Bethany was unable to string together a strong run to cut into the deficit. Events began to look rather bleak as the visitors when on an 8-3 run over a stretch of time just shy of three minutes to put them ahead by 15. The Barons weren't done there as they continued their hot offense. Wells connected with a triple with just under seven minutes remaining to spark a 9-2 run for the Green and White that again got the deficit down to 10. Free

throws and a Dailey layup got Bethany within six, but that was the closest they would come to a comeback tonight.

Wells and Dailey both led the Bison with 18 points and five rebounds, accounting for four combined assists as well. Troy Hixson added eight points and four boards in the defeat. Conference play returns with the first of many three-game weeks as the Green and White are right back at it Thursday night in Latrobe taking on the St. Vincent Bearcats. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.