Bethel Overwhelms Lindsey Wilson at Christmas Classic

Bethel (IN) College 66
Lindsey Wilson 37

Final from Columbia, Kentucky

Game recap by Lindsey Wilson:

Bethel (IN) College, ranked No. 3 in NAIA Division II, went on a 17-2 run to close the first half and never lost control in the second as the Pilots grounded the Lindsey Wilson College men's basketball team 66-37 in the LWC Christmas Classic at Biggers Sports Center on Saturday.

Senior Tyler Brown scored 16 points and his classmate Ryne Lightfoot added 15 to lead Bethel past the Blue Raiders.

Freshman Kalen Kimberland and senior Eric McPherson paced Lindsey Wilson with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Lindsey Wilson started the game strong, trailing by only three (12-9) at the 9:34 mark in the first half. Over the next nine minutes, however, the Pilots outscored the Blue Raiders 23-5 to enter halftime up 21 points.

Cold shooting doomed Lindsey Wilson as Bethel's pressure defense limited it to just 28.6 percent from the field in the first half. Bethel had little trouble scoring, using back-door cuts to shoot 50.0 percent in the half.

Not a lot went right for the Blue Raiders after the break either. Bethel continued its full court man-to-man press to force Lindsey Wilson into 19 turnovers and build a lead as high as 32 points.

The Blue Raiders finished the game shooting 31.9 percent from the field, while the Pilots shot 49.1 percent. Lindsey Wilson out-rebounded Bethel, 36-35.

Lindsey Wilson's 37 points are the lowest total in program history. The previous low of 44 was reached twice, the latest in a 44-41 win against Taylor University on November 28, 2008.

Today's game was the first-ever meeting between Bethel and Lindsey Wilson.

Lindsey Wilson hosts Asbury (KY) College at 7pmCT, Monday, January 4, 2010, at Biggers Sports Arena, 360 Spickard DR, Columbia, KY