INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.– The Bethel Pilots (12-13, 5-10) fell to the No. 12 Marian Knights (20-5, 13-2) today in the Physical Education Center 64-37 after the game needed to be pushed up due to a snowstorm rolling through Indiana later Wednesday night.
Mariah Claywell posted a team-leading 10 points for the Pilots and shot 5-12 from the floor (41.67%) and three rebounds.
Isabel Scales totaled eight points on 4-5 shooting from the floor (80%) with three rebounds and two assists.
Caroline Morris grabbed four of the team’s 23 rebounds, with two of the four being offensive boards. Freshman Dominique Stilley made her first free throw as a Pilot.
Gracie Lambes made the first basket of the game with a shot behind the arc at 8:16, then Isabel Scales posted a jumper at 6:39 to bring the Pilots up 7-5. Olivia Nickerson made a shot from downtown (5:10) to put the Pilots back ahead 12-10 after the Knights laid in a two in the previous possession.
The Knights charged onward with an eight-point run from the game-tying layup to answer Nickerson at 4:35 (12-12). The Pilots concluded the first down 20-12.
In the second quarter, Mariah Claywell posted a jumper at 8:45 to halt Marian’s run. At 6:04, she made another jump shot in the paint to bring the score 24-16, with Bethel trailing.
At 2:21, Ellia Foster sank a pair at the charity stripe to put the final points on the board for Bethel in the first half. The Pilots ended the first half down 36-20.
In the third quarter, Isabel Scales made a jump shot at 7:37, assisted by Olivia Nickerson. The Marian defense proved to be formidable, as they prevented Bethel from scoring for the remainder of the third quarter. The Pilots ended the third down 50-22.
Bethel pressed on to score 13 points in the fourth quarter, the Pilots’ highest-scoring quarter of the game.
Olivia Nickerson and Ellia Foster each recorded three-pointers at 6:59 and 1:45, respectively. Dominique Stilley split a pair at the line (0:34) before Bethel concluded the game 64-37.
The Pilots continue the Crossroads League season with the Grace Lancers on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 1:00 p.m. in the Gates Gymnasium.
In the Crossroads League Standings, Bethel is one game ahead of Goshen for the seventh seed in the conference tournament and two games ahead of Grace (3-11) to stay in contention for one of the last spots in the tournament seedings.
If the Pilots win two of the next three games, the chances of making the NCCAA North-Central Regional Tournament increase, and would face Greenville University if they do not declare for the NAIA National Tournament (if selected).