INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. —The No. 3 Bethel Men’s Basketball Team (17-3, 7-3) defeated the Marian University Knights (5-15, 2-8) 81-80 on Saturday afternoon in the Physical Education Center.
Austin Cripe led Bethel’s scoring efforts with 22 points, while adding five rebounds (2-3). Colin Comer totaled 14 points for the Pilots, shooting 5-7 from the field (71%), and 4-4 beyond the arc.
Luke McBride rounded out the double digit lineup with 13 points scored, adding one steal.
Beau Jacquay led the Pilot rebounding efforts, collecting seven boards. Jacquay stands in fourth place on the Crossroads League Leaderboard for offensive rebounds per game (2.7), while Alonas Peciulis stands in third place (2.8).
Peciulis showcased his 1000th point as a Bethel Pilot with a jumper in the paint in the first (15:43, 11-6). The London native reflected on the accomplishment after the game, sharing,
“Reaching 1,000 points means more to me than a statistic. It represents the opportunities basketball has given me, especially being able to play and grow in America; a place that has challenged me, welcomed me, and helped shape who I am. Through the game, I’ve met incredible people, built lifelong relationships, and learned lessons far beyond basketball. I’m grateful for every coach and teammate along the way, and above all, I thank God for guiding my journey and giving me this opportunity.”
The Bethel Pilots’ early work in the first set them ahead by three (37-34) at the half.
Colin Comer brought Bethel their greatest lead of the second with a triple (15:48) to bring the score 51-45.
Austin Cripe furthered the lead to nine with a jumper, assisted by Colin Comer (60-51, 13:18).
Marian answered with a nine point run to tie it up at 60, with just over 11 minutes left on the clock. Andrew Hedrick sank his first basket back from injury to put the pressure on the Knights (62-60, 10:54).
Marian’s Josiah Gustin challenged the Bethel defense, scoring six points in the final ten minutes, including a layup in the final minute, to put Marian ahead by one (80-79, 0:40).
Luke McBride battled back with a jumper in the paint, assisted by Colin Comer, to win the game 81-80 for the No. 3 team in the country.
Head Coach Steve Drabyn shared, “This is one of these games where I can’t wait to watch the film after. I think Marian made a lot of tough shots late in possessions that made it seem like we weren’t defending as well. I honestly thought we had a lot of good defensive possessions where our guys were dialed in. It was great to see Austin Cripe get back on track from the field, Colin Comer get us going early, and Luke McBride with a huge shot down the stretch to win the game…”
The Pilots will face their next Crossroads League Opponent on Wednesday, Jan. 28 in the Gates Gymnasium. They will face the Goshen College Maple Leafs at 7 PM, and Alonas Peciulis will be presented with a ball before tip-off to congratulate him on 1000 points as a Bethel Pilot.