MISHAWAKA, Ind. — The Bethel Pilots (11-2) extend their win streak to four games after a 20-point victory over the IU-East Redwolves 87-66 on Saturday afternoon.
Clay Hilliard shot a season-high 18 points in his fourth game as a Pilot, shooting 6-13 (46%) from the floor and 4-10 (40%) from beyond the arc.
The Pilots started down 7-4 in the opening minutes, but three dunks by Preston Phillips put the Pilots tied at 10-10 at 13:44. His first slam was at 17:43, followed by another at 15:27, then tied the game at 13:44.
Bethel took the lead at 12:27 with Hilliard’s deep ball and made it 15-12, but Luke McBride gave the Pilots a double-digit lead with a shot from downtown for a 22-16 game.
Drew Lutz drained an off-balance mid-range jumper at 3:49 to cushion the 37-27 advantage; by halftime, Bethel was up 49-35.
Hilliard’s three-pointer at 15:47 in the second half peaked the Pilot lead at 22 points and rode to victory 87-66.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- The Pilots are now 3-4 all-time against the Redwolves and 1-2 in the month of December.
- Bethel had the second-most assists this season, one assist shy of their 24 against Governors State on Dec. 13.
- Ike Umeh and Clay Hilliard set season-highs in points with Umeh’s 13 and Hilliard’s 18.
- A little over half (46) of the Pilots’ points were in the paint.
NEXT TIME OUT
Crossroads League play resumes on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 7 p.m. to take on the Saint Francis (Ind.) Cougars in the Hutzell Athletic Center in Fort Wayne, Ind. The Pilots lost by a close 102-101 shootout the last time facing the Cougars on Feb. 18, 2023, and trail 20-32 in the overall series.