MISHAWAKA, Ind. — The Freshman Guard Olivia Nickerson impressed in her collegiate debut with 28 points and 8-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc against the Judson Eagles (0-1) in the Gates Gymnasium for the Bethel Pilots’ (1-0) season opener on Thursday night.
Nickerson scored eight of the Pilots’ 10 triples for 72% from deep, along with going 9-for-15 (60%) from the floor.
Caroline Morris had 10 of Bethel’s 40 rebounds, with Jazmyn Smith being the next-best rebounder with seven.
Bethel held the Eagles to 0-10 three-point shooting and 12-53 (22%) from the floor and forced 27 turnovers to take advantage of 28 points from turnovers.
The first quarter was all Pilots with a consistent growth to a 23-point advantage after Smith’s layup at 24 seconds left in the quarter 31-8, Nickerson nailed five threes from 15 points in the first quarter alone.
Bethel extended their lead to 43-13 with Ellia Foster’s jumper at 3:16, and Hannah Ruddle laid one off the glass at 2:12 to go in the second 45-13 and go into halftime with the 30-point lead.
Faith Davis gave the Pilots a 40-point lead at 3:55 in the third from a layup, followed by a three in the next Bethel possession to pad the lead to 42, 60-18.
Bethel peaked their lead of 44 first at 7:12 to go in regulation with Paige Walton’s two good free-throws, again by Ruddle’s two good free-throws at 3:28, Gracie Lambes with two good from the charity stripe at 2:43 and one last time by Lambes with 40 seconds to go with a split pair from the line.
Judson made a layup with 15 seconds to go for the final 80-38 Bethel victory in the season opener.
Bethel goes into a four-home-game stretch starting with the Cleary Cougars on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 11 a.m. in the Gates Gymnasium followed by the Cornerstone Golden Eagles on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m.