NORTH NEWTON, Kan. (MacBulldogs.com) – The shorthanded McPherson College Bulldogs dropped a KCAC showdown 80-68 to the Bethel College Threshers Saturday (Jan. 25) at the Thresher Gym in North Newton, Kan.
Jamil Hardaway matched his season-best with 18 points, thanks to 4-for-10 shooting from the perimeter, while Curtis Rose added 17 points and a season-high-tying six assists. Rose also came away with a team-high four steals. Antonio Watson finished with 12 points.
MC shot just 31.7 percent (20-for-63) from the field, compared to Bethel’s 47.5 percent shooting.
Bethel had their way around the rim, finishing with 42 of their 80 points in the paint, while the Bulldogs had just 16 points inside.
The Threshers led by as many as six points in the first half, before taking a 37-35 lead into the locker room. The momentum stayed firmly with the Threshers, as they opened the second 20 minutes of play with a 15-2 burst.
MC clawed its way back, cutting the lead to three a few times, before a quick 8-0 run capped off by a layup by Rose knotted the score at 67-67 with 3:28 to play.
However, a basket by Carmelo Yakubu and a triple by Nick Bonner put the Threshers on top 74-68. BC made their free throws down the stretch to knock off the Bulldogs.
Yakubu led the Threshers with 21 points and five assists, while Bonner added 21 points and six rebounds. Cade Kittrell recorded a double-double, scoring 12 points and pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Bulldogs return to Holman Fieldhouse Wednesday (Jan. 29), playing host to Tabor College. The Bluejays took down the Bulldogs 79-75 in Hillsboro back in December. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
With eight games to play, the Bulldogs are 7-7 in KCAC play and sitting in the seventh seed in the current KCAC standings, two games behind Southwestern and Bethel. Four of the Bulldogs final eight games are against teams ahead of MC in the standings.
