No.2 USF holds off No.11 Bethel

Fort Wayne, Ind. – The Bethel College Pilots men’s basketball team could not get their last-second game-winning three-point attempt to find the bottom of the net as the No. 2 St. Francis Cougars held on to the 72-70 win.

GAME VITALS

• Score: St. Francis def. Bethel 72-70
• Records:  Bethel (17-5, 6-4) | St. Francis (19-3, 9-1)
• NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll: Bethel – No. 11 | St. Francis – No. 2
• Location: Hutzell Athletic Center | University of St. Francis | Fort Wayne, Ind.

STAT TRACKER

• Gage Ott: 13 pts, 6 reb, 3 blk
• Trey’von Covington: 15 pts, 3 reb, 1 stl
• Paul Forman: 14 pts, 6 reb, 6-7 ft
• Trey Burns: 8 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• The Pilots have lost back-to-back games for the first time since February 13-16, 2016.
• The Pilots held a 15-14 lead with 10:56 remaining in the first half, but didn’t regain the lead again until 70-69 with 31.7 seconds remaining.
• For the second time in three days, the Pilots gave up a game-tying or go ahead basket at the rim with under 25 seconds remaining.
• The Pilots were outscored in the paint 40-28, the second time this season they’ve allowed at least 40 points in the paint.
• Gage Ott becomes the second player in program history with at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocks in his career while shooting at least .600 from the field (David Keister ’00-04).

NEXT TIME OUT

• The Pilots return home for a pivotal league matchup against Huntington on Tuesday at 7pm. The Pilots are looking to avoid their third consecutive loss. The last time the Pilots lost three straight was Jan. 8-14, 2014—the third loss coming to the Foresters in Mishawaka. The Pilots’ current streak of 134 games without three consecutive losses is the longest streak in the Crossroads League.