SPRING ARBOR, Mich. — Drew Lutz was two points away from tying his career-high at Bethel, draining 38 points and four assists against the Spring Arbor Cougars on Wednesday night.
Only six Pilots scored points, with Preston Phillips going 6-for-13 from the field and 2-for-5 from beyond the arc for 16 points and seven rebounds. Lutz sunk 14 of his 30 shots attempted from the field, which is the most field goal attempts in Bethel Pilot history in one game, previously topping TreVion Crews’ 28 attempts against Providence on March 13, 2021, and Huntington (Ind.) on January 27, 2021.
Drew Lutz and Gabe Newhof, lighting up the net this season, went head-to-head in a shootout where Newhof dropped 25 points on 12-for-22 shooting from the field and eight rebounds, while Lutz dropped 38.
The Pilots won the battle off the glass with 41 rebounds to the Cougars 32 and grabbed 10 offensive boards with 13 points off turnovers. The charity stripe was good to Bethel as they knocked down 11 of 13 free throws compared to Spring Arbor, who shot 5-11.
The perimeter defense was strong for Bethel, who kept Spring Arbor to 5-for-20 from beyond the arc, where Ty Ryske was the kept to two made three-pointers but was the most by one Cougar. Lutz went 3-for-8 from deep but was joined by Phillips with two made deep balls, Nathan Aerts with one, and Clay Hilliard with one.
NEXT TIME OUT
The Pilots return home for a three-game home tilt, starting with the Taylor Trojans on Saturday, January 20, and 3 p.m., NAIA #1 Grace College on Wednesday, January 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the Gates Gymnasium, and Goshen College for the US Highway 20 Cup on January 27 at 3 p.m. at home.