Men's Basketball: Bethany MBB preps for PAC play with tough out of conference schedule

Out of conference games are a great time to tune up your skills, build team chemistry, and prepare yourself for the grueling conference schedule, with the hopes of winning the conference championship. However, it would make sense for these non-conference contests to be teams in the same division as you, right? That's not the way that it's been for head coach Brad Johnson and the Bethany men's basketball team. 

So far, Bethany has seen their fair share of talent in 2023. They've played some tough Division III teams, including 10-0 Saint Vincent, preseason PAC favorites Washington & Jefferson, reigning PAC champions Chatham and ranked Marietta. These contests have been far from the most talented teams that Coach Johnson has had to scheme against this season. In fact, the toughest contests of the season have been against teams in Division I or Division II whose players are on scholarship.  

In a span of five days, Bethany traveled to Eastern Kentucky (DI), Fairmont State (DII), and Youngstown State (DI) as well as hosting Grove City in a PAC contest in between non-conference games. These games were against bigger, faster and stronger teams while also being on a much bigger stage than could ever be recreated in Hummel Field House. The contests against Youngstown State and Eastern Kentucky even aired on ESPN+. Sophomore Troy Hixson noted the magnitude of these games and said, "Playing on ESPN was one of my dreams growing up and I'm glad that we got to all experience that." 

Besides just the excitement of playing on ESPN+, these games would force Bethany to adapt to a faster pace of play, which in turn would create a slower game for them in conference. There's no matchup of size and length in the PAC like the 7'3 center from Youngstown State, Gabe Bynes. 

"Playing the scholarship level teams in DI and DII definitely helped as well because naturally those guys are going to be bigger, faster, stronger, and more skilled and they consistently play against guys with these same gifts. Playing the scholarship teams forced us to learn to still play our game when they outmatched us physically across the board," Hixson said. 

Overall, this experience will be tremendous for Bethany and it's already beginning to show. Bethany has defeated Grove City and W&J for the first time in five years as well as already passing last year's win total. 

"These losses have also helped us grow as a unit to bond closer by battling adversity together so these losses may hurt us on paper, but they are going to help us in the future later in the season," Hixson added.