Lady Cats Use Quick Start to Move to 6-0
LAWRENCE, Ks. - The Bethel Lady Wildcats continued their impressive start to the season, improving to a perfect 6-0 record after a dominant 85-37 victory over Barclay College. Bethel's quick offensive start, led by strong shooting from beyond the arc, set the tone early and resulted in a commanding 45-13 advantage at halftime.
A First Half to Remember
The Lady Cats came out of the gate firing on all cylinders, putting together a stellar opening 20 minutes. Bethel shot 64.3% from the field in the first quarter, including 62.5% from three-point range, as they jumped out to a 25-9 lead. The defense was equally impressive, as they stifled Barclay's offense, forcing turnovers and limiting second-chance opportunities.
By halftime, the lead had ballooned to 45-13, with the Lady Cats showcasing their depth and versatility. In that first half, Bethel made 10 of 16 three-pointers (62.5%) and shot a perfect 100% from the free-throw line.
Balanced Scoring Attack
The second half saw more of the same as Bethel continued to pour it on. The Lady Cats' balanced offensive attack featured contributions from several standouts.
Kylie Reynolds was one of the standout performers of the game, finishing with a team-high 14 points, including four three-pointers, while Micah Hart added 12 points and four rebounds in just 19 minutes of action.
Mikee Buchanan also had a strong outing with 13 points and four rebounds. Madison Hart contributed with seven points and four rebounds. The team as a whole had 21 assists, demonstrating their unselfish ball movement and team chemistry.
Bethel's defense was stifling, with the Lady Cats forcing 12 turnovers and securing 23 defensive rebounds. The team's shooting cooled off slightly in the second half, but their advantage was never in question as they coasted to the victory.
Outline of Player Stats
- Assists (AST): 6
- Steals (STL): 1
- Total Rebounds (REB): 4
- Total Points (TP): 12
- Assists (AST): 2
- Total Rebounds (REB): 4
- Total Points (TP): 13
- Total Rebounds (REB): 4
- Total Points (TP): 14
- Assists (AST): 2
- Total Rebounds (REB): 4
- Total Points (TP): 7
- Assists (AST): 1
- Total Rebounds (REB): 1
- Total Points (TP): 2
- Assists (AST): 3
- Steals (STL): 1
- Total Rebounds (REB): 1
- Total Points (TP): 8
- Blocks (BLK): 1
- Steals (STL): 1
- Total Rebounds (REB): 3
- Total Points (TP): 6
- Steals (STL): 2
- Total Rebounds (REB): 2
- Total Points (TP): 10
- Assists (AST): 3
- Steals (STL): 4
- Total Rebounds (REB): 5
- Total Points (TP): 3
- Turnovers (TO): 1
- Total Rebounds (REB): 3
- Total Points (TP): 7
- Assists (AST): 2
- Steals (STL): 1
- Total Rebounds (REB): 6
- Total Points (TP): 3
- Steals (STL): 1
- Total Rebounds 1
Team Stats
- Total FG%: 46.2%
- 3-Point FG%: 41.7%
- Free Throw %: 71.4%
- Total Rebounds: 40
- Assists: 21
- Turnovers: 12
Coach's Thoughts
Bethel head coach Chris Nelson was pleased with his team's performance, particularly in the first half. "Another great day today getting everyone some work in," he commented after the game. "We were able to build a solid lead early, and that allowed us to get a lot of players involved. We look forward to competing tomorrow against a really scrappy Northern New Mexico team. Hopefully, we can cap off a great three-game road trip."
What's Next
The Lady Cats will be back in action tomorrow at noon, where they will face Northern New Mexico in their final game of the Haskell Invitational. After a strong start to the season, Bethel will look to keep their momentum rolling and improve to 7-0 as they face one of their toughest challenges yet. With their fast-paced offense and stingy defense, the Lady Cats are poised for another solid performance as they wrap up their road trip.
Article by Derrick Hubble-Sports Information Assistant