BETHANY, W.Va. (Jan. 24) – Host Bethany College used a strong second half to earn a 57-56 comeback victory over Saint Vincent in a Presidents' Athletic Conference men's basketball matchup.
The Bison limited the Bearcats to just seven second-half field goals to come back from a 15-point halftime deficit and hand SVC its fourth straight loss.
Arguel Drotleff led the Bearcats with a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double and was one of three SVC players to score in double figures, with Ethan Dunsey adding 13 points and Jayven Millien 10.
In a tale of two halves, the Bearcats stormed out of the gates, opening up a 9-0 lead just four minutes into play, behind seven points from Drotleff. Three minutes later, a Millien three-pointer gave the Bearcats their first double-digit lead of the night, 12-2, with 14:43 left in the half.
Bethany closed the gap to 18-11 at the midpoint of the half, but a jumper from Drotleff and a three-pointer from Kaleb Fields promptly upped the SVC lead to 27-13 with 8:15 remaining. From there, the teams traded baskets heading into the break, with the Bearcats holding a 37-23 halftime lead.
A pair of Millien free throws in the opening minute of the second half pushed the advantage up to 39-23, but the Bison then began their charge, embarking on a 13-3 run, fueled by three three-pointers, to pull to within two, 41-39, with 13 minutes remaining.
SVC temporarily halted the run, with Dunsey scoring six points in a 70-second span to increase the Bearcat lead to 47-39 at the 11-minute mark, a Fields jumper with 8:30 left pushed the lead back into double digits, 51-41, with 8:30 to go.
Bethany then answered with another surge, holding the Bearcats to just one field goal over the next four minutes during a 12-2 run that tied the game at 53 with 4:30 left. An Osyon Jones free throw with 4:10 left then gave the Bearcats a one-point lead, before the Bison answered with a basket to take their first lead of the night, 55-54, with 3:58 left. Two more free throws from Jones pushed the Bearcats back in front by one point with 3:43 left, but Bethany's Travis Zimmerman scored on the ensuing possession to regain a 57-56 lead with 3:06 remaining.
Zimmerman's layup proved to be the final basket of the game for either team, as the game took a defensive turn over the final three minutes. Dunsey kept the SVC deficit at one with a trio of blocked shots down the stretch, but the Bearcats were unable to capitalize and were saddled with the one-point loss.
The Bearcats out-rebounded the Bison 50-40 for the game, with Diego Martinez grabbing a team-best 10 boards, Millien eight and Dunsey six. Dunsey, who went 6-for-8 from the field, had a team-best three blocks, while Jones and Martinez shared the team lead with two steals apiece.
Zimmerman led Bethany with 16 points, going 8-for-9 from the field, while Brendan Riggs added 14 points.
The Bearcats will return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 26, as they'll be back on the road to take on Waynesburg in another PAC bout.
