Mishawaka, Ind. — Playing with a chance to host a Crossroads League opening round game next week, the Bethel Pilots (17-11, 9-9) came up short, losing in a double-overtime barn burner to the Saint Francis (Ind.) Cougars (14-14, 7-11) by a final score of 102-101 on Senior Day.
The Pilots stormed to a 12 point lead out of the gate trading blows with two triples by grad transfer Deacon Heath and junior Nathan Aerts to make it 17-5 at 14:05 in the first half.
The lead bounced from nine points, back to 12 again a few times throughout the half. There were even a couple Pilots that found some time off the bench like Jordan Okonji who completed a three-point-play to get the Pilots back to a 12 point to make it 27-15 at 10:35.
The Cougars showed signs of figuring out the Pilots by chipping the lead down to three by a layup by Saint Francis’ Antwaan Cushinberry and a pair of free-throws by Bailey Brayton to put the score to 37-34 at 2:24 until the half. The Pilots would ultimately take a 47-37 lead into halftime by a pair of free throws by senior Drew Lutz.
In the second half, it looked like the Pilots were able to maintain the lead, but a crucial five unanswered possessions by the Cougars would take the lead by one point by a layup from Zane Burke of Saint Francis to give the Cougars their first lead of the game 61-60.
The second half became a dog fight with six lead changes in the rest of regulation. Sophomore transfer Tanguy Touze was on fire with 21 points and 9 rebounds in regulation and 10 points were in the second half alone.
Touze gave the Pilots the lead twice late in the second half with a layup at 6:16 for a 69-71 score and another layup off the glass at 5:14 to make it 73-71, but then came the first overtime game the entire season.
The first overtime was neck and neck trading buckets nearly every possession and the Pilots found themselves in crunch time down by two. Lutz draws a foul from the Cougars’ Branden Northern and Lutz drains the pair at the charity stripe to force a second overtime.
In the second overtime both teams traded buckets the entire time with the game tied at 101-101 with six seconds left and Dan McKeeman of Saint Francis drove the lane and drew a foul where he split the pair at the line. Bethel had once last chance, but a last second, off-balance heave by Lutz missed the mark.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Touze shot a season high 23 points and shot 55% percent (10-18) from the floor and 37% from deep range (3-8). Touze finished the night with a double-double on his 23 points and 11 rebounds.
- The Pilots outshot the Cougars from deep in the first half 50% to 25%, but Saint Francis caught up by shooting 37% percent by the end of the game to Bethel’s total of 36%.
- Bethel took advantage of 13 points off turnovers and had 13 second chance points, however the Cougars scored 48 points in the paint and put up 11 second chance points of their own.
NEXT TIME OUT
The Pilots will face off with the fourth seed Marian University in Indianapolis, Ind. for the Crossroads League Quarterfinals on Feb. 22 with the time to be determined.