WINONA LAKE, Ind. — The first game of the Lancer Tip-Off Classic ended with a 92-66 Bethel Pilots (2-0) win over the Rio Grande Red Storm (0-1) on Friday, giving Bethel their second consecutive win.
Trent Edwards hit a career-high and team-leading 19 points against the Red Storm, shooting an efficient 7-for-9 (77%) and four assists. Preston Phillips continued his streak of double-digit rebounds with 10 of the team’s 41 boards.
The Pilots shot an impressive 17-26 (65%) from the floor in the first half and 4-8 (50%) from beyond the arc and kept the Red Storm to 23-63 (36%) shooting the entire game in a great defensive display.
The first half opened with an 11-3 run, with Preston Phillips hitting a jumper at 15:56 after grabbing the defensive board in the prior possession.
Andrew Hedrick, who knocked down a two at 9:24 to give BU their first double-digit lead 31-21, then peaked their first-half lead 41-27 with Alonas Peciulis’ lay-in at 4:29 in the first half.
Beau Jacquay saw the floor for the first time as a Pilot and hit a layup at 11:59 in the second half to grow the lead to 70-50, then hit the largest lead of the game at 6:54 from Edward’s layup.
Bethel will face the University of Northwestern Ohio Racers in the Lancer Tip-Off Classic finale on Saturday, Nov. 2, at noon in the Manahan OCC on the campus of Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind.