MISHAWAKA, Ind. – The Bethel College Pilot men’s basketball team could not solve the Cougars this season, losing for the third time to Mt. Vernon Nazarene in the Crossroads League Tournament Quarterfinals. The Pilots will await a possible at large bid to the NAIA Division II Men’s National Basketball Tournament when the field is released next Wednesday, February 28.
GAME VITALS
- Score:Â Mt. Vernon Nazarene def. Bethel 80-76
- Records:Â Â Bethel (22-9) | Mt. Vernon Nazarene (18-13)
- NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll: Bethel – No. 15 | Mt. Vernon Nazarene – not rated
- Location:Â Wiekamp Athletic Center | Bethel College | Mishawaka, Ind.
STAT TRACKER
- Paul Forman: 19 pts, 5 reb, 7-11 ft
- Tanner Shepherd: 16 pts, 8 reb, 7-11 fg
- Trey’von Covington: 15 pts, 5 reb, 2 blk
- Gage Ott: 14 pts, 7 reb, 6-10 fg
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- The Pilots lose for the first time in program history at home in the Crossroads League quarterfinals.
- The Pilots lose for the third time to one opponent in a single season for the ninth time in program history.
- Mt. Vernon Nazarene’s Jevon Knox scored a game-high 39 points, the most points the Pilots have given up to an opposing player this season.
- The Pilots outrebounded the Cougars 45-34, including 13 offensive rebounds, and outscored the Cougars 14-4 in second chance points.
NEXT TIME OUT
- The Pilots will await word on a possible at large bid to the NAIA Division II Men’s National Basketball Tournament held from March 7-13 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
- The bracket will be announced on Wednesday, February 28. 22 automatic bids are earned through regular season and conference tournament championships, while ten bids are given to the highest ten ranked teams remaining to fill out the 32-team championship field.
The Pilots compete in 18Â intercollegiate sports for men and women. The Bethel College Athletic Department earned the NAIA Champion of Character Five-Star Gold Institution and produced 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams last season. While accumulating 3 NAIA National Championships and 32 NCCAA National Championships by 10 different athletic teams, Bethel has also produced 143 NAIA All-American honors and 309 NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors over the past decade.