MISHAWAKA, Ind. — In the Bethel Pilots’ (2-1) third home game this season, the Cornerstone Golden Eagles (1-3) spoiled BU’s undefeated season 62-49 in the Gates Gymnasium Wednesday night.
The Pilots shot 28% from the floor and only made two triples, both by freshman Justyce Williams (2-for-4), but won the battle of the boards 43-39.
Bethel was held to 3-for-12 shooting from the floor in the first quarter and fell to a quick 17-3 deficit from CU’s 7-for-19 shooting from the floor and 2-for-7 from downtown.
Williams hit a three at 1:09 in the first from Faith Davis’ toss to chip the game down to 17-6, but Cornerstone dropped two from the charity stripe, 19-6. Lambes hit the last bucket of the quarter, laying it off the glass to end the first 19-8, Cornerstone.
Bethel brought the game back to a two-possession deficit after Olivia Nickerson hit two from the line 23-18, and Lambes dropped a layup at 2:06 to cut the lead to 23-20.
Jazmyn Smith tapped the glass to get the Pilots close 25-24 with 23 seconds to go in the half, but Cornerstone splashed a three, and then Lambes again had the last word by splitting a pair at the line to go into halftime 28-25.
Cornerstone grew their lead to 35-25 at 6:19 in the third, and two fruitful Pilot possessions by Isabel Scales‘ back-to-back layups chipped the lead to 35-29 at 5:19, Bethel would trail 46-35 by the end of the third.
The fourth was all CU as they jumped to an 18-point lead 53-35 and rode a double-digit lead into a 62-49 Cornerstone win.
The Pilots continue their home stretch with the Defiance Yellow Jackets on Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Gates Gymnasium.