MISHAWAKA, Ind. — It was an electric crowd for the Bethel Men’s Basketball team’s upset of NAIA sixth-ranked Georgetown Tigers in the Gates Gymnasium on Tuesday night.
The Pilots started behind on a 15-7 run at 15:04 in the first half but climbed back to a three-point deficit with a three-point play by Drew Lutz and a layup by Ike Umeh at 12:37; Lutz tied the game 17-17 with a deep ball at 11:49, then drained another in back-to-back possessions to give the Pilots the lead 20-17.
Bethel climbed to a seven-point advantage at 5:45 until halftime, with Preston Phillips tipping in Lutz’s jumper 31-24, but the Tigers answered back with a layup and got to the free-throw line to claw back to a two-point deficit 33-31. The Tigers nailed a three at 1:55 to the half and fought back to lead 38-35 at halftime.
It was a dogfight in the early minutes of the second half, with Preston Phillips tying the game 42-42 at 18:36 by splitting a pair of free throws. The Tigers took advantage of three empty possessions by the Pilots to gain an eight-point lead, 55-47, with a deep ball and two layups.
Clay Hilliard, who made his Pilot debut, ended the streak with a three-pointer at 13:44, and Luke McBride tipped in Hilliard’s three attempt in the next possession and sank a free throw to make it 55-53.
In the final minutes, Trent Edwards tied the game at 75-75, and the Pilots kept a healthy one-possession lead into crunch time. Georgetown sank a layup at 1:03 to go, but Drew Lutz hit a deep ball with 29 seconds left and buried the dagger with two good free throws to win 85-80.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Drew Lutz drained 29 points, making tonight his eighth 20+ point game this season.
- Clay Hilliard scored nine points, with three made from downtown in his Pilot debut.
- James Anderson was one rebound away from a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds.
- The Pilots are now 1-1 against NAIA top-10 opponents this season.
NEXT TIME OUT- The Pilots go on a two-game road trip starting with Governors State on Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m., then go to Lebanon, Tenn. to take on (RV) Cumberland University (Tenn.) on Monday, Dec. 18 at 11 a.m.