GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. —The No. 7 Bethel Pilots (12-1) defeated the Cornerstone University Golden Eagles (3-10) 93-72 on Monday evening in Mol Arena.
The win marks the greatest margin of victory (21 points) over the Golden Eagles within the tenure of Head Coach Steve Drabyn. Since his 2019 takeover of the nationally ranked team, the Pilots have posted three wins and two losses against the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) opponent.
Austin Cripe matched his previous season high of 27 points to lead Bethel’s offensive efforts.
Colin Comer totaled eight defensive rebounds, and 12 points, while shooting 55.5 percent from the field (5-9).
Alonas Peciulis and Carter Kent each contributed ten points, while Peciulis led the team in assists (five). Peciulis ranks second in the Crossroads League for offensive rebounds per game (3.2).
Colin Comer showcased the first layup of the matchup (19:43), assisted by Beau Jacquay. Following the tug-of-war for points, the Pilots pulled away with the lead in the last six minutes of the first.
Austin Cripe (5:51) and Carter Kent (5:20) downed back to back threes to place Bethel ahead 43-27. Mason Bales (3:40) and Luke McBride (1:56) added their own triples before Bethel entered the half up 51-34.
In the second half, the Pilots dominated the long-range game with a 50 percent 3PT shooting average (6-12), compared to the Eagles’ 15.4 percent (2-13). While Cornerstone posted an impressive 38 points in the second, it was not enough to overcome Bethel’s balanced offense.
Head Coach Steve Drabyn wrote, “I was really pleased offensively, we moved the ball great, got paint touches which got us good looks. I would have liked to see a more consistent defensive effort overall. Our bench was great….Austin Cripe, Colin Comer, and Luke McBride shot the ball well while Carter Kent gave great bench minutes.”
The Pilots will next face the Judson University Eagles (3-9) on Tuesday, Dec. 30. Tip-off is set for 7 PM in the Gates Gymnasium.