MCKENZIE, Tenn. — No. 2 Bethel (TN) maintained their unbeaten record with a 66-52 victory over Indiana Wesleyan on Saturday. The Wildcats led by as many as nine points in the third quarter before Bethel took control. The Wildcat offense struggled to find momentum in the final quarter, scoring just five points and shooting 2-12 from the field.
THE ESSENTIALS
- Location: McKenzie, Tenn. | Bethel University
- Records: IWU: 1-2 | BU 4-0
- NAIA Top-25 Rankings: IWU - #10 | BU - #2
FIRST QUARTER
- The Wildcats opened the scoring with a three-pointer from Ayla Krygier after a steal, setting the pace at 9:17.
- BU briefly took a two-point lead on a layup at 8:41, but Indiana Wesleyan responded quickly to regain control.
- Midway through the quarter, The red and grey established a six-point lead with a layup from Myla Browning at 2:40.
- BU closed the gap to five with free throws, but Indiana Wesleyan maintained their advantage, closing the quarter ahead, 14-9.
SECOND QUARTER
- BU opened with an early 3-pointer at 9:15, setting the tone for competitive play.
- A sequence of defensive plays, including a block by Jayd Hovey and a steal by Bethel, kept the game tight with both teams exchanging leads.
- IWU responded with a 6-0 run fueled by Jayd Hovey's layup and free throw, taking a 20-17 lead at 6:43.
- Koryn Greiwe hit a crucial 3-pointer at 3:12, extending their advantage, and the team maintained control to close the quarter up 32-26.
THIRD QUARTER
- BU took an early lead with a three-pointer at 9:01, but the Wildcats responded with a layup by Ayla Krygier.
- The Wildcats built their largest lead of nine points with 2:22 remaining, following a three-pointer by Kylie Bettinger.
- BU answered with a momentum-shifting 3-pointer with 54 second left in the quarter, cutting the deficit to one point.
- Indiana Wesleyan held a narrow 48-47 lead at the end of the quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER
- BU took the lead for good with a pair of free throws at 9:08, followed by a layup at 8:28, putting them ahead 51-48.
- THey extended the lead with a sequence that included a jumper and a layup, creating a 55-48 advantage.
- The scoring run continued with athree-pointer at 6:58 and two free throws at 5:51, giving BU a 60-48 lead.
- Indiana Wesleyan struggled offensively, managing only two field goals, as Bethel finished the quarter strong, securing a 70-53 victory.
KEY WILDCATS
LOOKING AHEAD
- Indiana Wesleyan returns home on November 4th against IU Northwest at 7:00 PM.
- Tickets can be purchased at IWUWildcats.com
- Links for video and stats will be available at IWUWildcats.com
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