Wildcats Battle Bulldogs Thursday
MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The Bethel Wildcats will host the Wilberforce Bulldogs Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Crisp Arena. Bethel is 116-45 in the ten-year history of the building. The first of those wins was ten years ago when Bethel beat Wilberforce 95-80 in the first men's game ever played in the arena.
It will be the third meeting between the two programs. The last time they met was in 2014 with Bethel winning 80-65 in Crisp.
The Wildcats enter the game at 7-5 overall and 3-4 in the MSC. The Bulldogs have lost four in a row and are 1-11 and 0-7.
Bethel is coming off a 103-75 exhibition loss Tuesday at UTM. Connor Guthrie led the Wildcats with 20 points. WU is coming off a 79-67 conference loss at UPIKE.
The Cats average 70.3 and yield 70.8 points per game. Bethel shoots 46 percent from the floor. The Cats shoot 25 percent from behind the three-point arc. Bethel outrebounds their opponents 36-28. Bethel averages 11 assists and eight steals per outing. Their opponents shoot 45 percent from the field and 36 percent in attempted three-pointers.
Wilberforce averages 67.4 and yields 80.9 points per game. The Dogs shoot 43 percent from the field. Their opponents are shooting 50 percent from the floor. WU is being outrebounded 34-30 per game.
Querrion Gadson leads the Wildcats in scoring at 11.2 points per game. Tyler Neely follows at 9.4 points per outing. Yassine Zlitni averages 7.8 points per game. Brennon Marsh averages a team high 6.3 rebounds per game. Gadson leads the team in assists with 2.3 per game.
Cali Davis leads the Bulldogs averaging 11. 7 points per game. Bobby McFadden follows at 8.9 points per game.
Jeff Britt will be honored before the game. Coach Britt just earned his 500th career win with a recent victory over UT Southern. Britt is in his 23rd year as the head coach at Bethel University and his 33rd year as a college basketball coach. His all-time record as a head coach is 500-352 and includes 11 seasons with 20-plus wins. Coach Britt led Bethel to five consecutive winning seasons from 2001-06 and nine consecutive winning seasons from 2011-20. He currently ranks 10th for most wins among active NAIA Division I men's basketball coaches.
Mark Mitchell is in his first year as head coach at Wilberforce.
Game Coverage:
Listen:
WEIO, 100.9 The Countdown to Tip-off Show begins immediately following the women's game which begins at 5:30 p.m.
https://streamdb6web.securenetsystems.net/v5/WEIO
Watch:
https://bethelathletics.com/watch
Stats:
https://bethelathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/boxscores/20221217_w3d4.xml
Tickets:
https://bethelathletics.com/tickets
Official Game Day Notes: