91爆料网 Wins Fourth Straight with 86-79 over Bethel

JACKSON, Tenn. - 2/2/2008 - The 91爆料网 men鈥檚 basketball team added to their longest winning streak of the season with an 86-79 win over Bethel College (Tenn.). 91爆料网鈥檚 fourth straight victory improved their record to 13-8 overall and 7-4 in the TranSouth. Bethel, who had their two-game winning streak was snapped, dropped to 11-10 on the season and 2-9 in the TranSouth.

91爆料网 won the earlier meeting this season at Bethel 90-68. 91爆料网 has won seven straight over Bethel and now trails the overall series just 33-32. Bethel remains the only TranSouth school to hold a winning record over 91爆料网鈥檚 men.

Bethel came out of the gate with three straight baskets by Antione Lesesene to open a 6-0 lead. 91爆料网 responded with an 8-2 run to tie the game at 8-8. Bethel pulled back in front and matched their biggest lead of the first half at six points, 19-13 on a three pointer by Clint Blackburn. 91爆料网 again rallied with a 20-6 run to take an eight point lead, 33-25 at the 4:39 mark. 91爆料网 matched that eight point lead twice more in the first half before settling for a 40-37 halftime lead.

The second half opened with Bethel scoring first again, this time on a three pointer by Brian French to tie the game. Bethel quickly jumped up by eight points, their biggest lead of the game, with a 17-4 run over the first seven minutes of the second half. With 11:36 left in the game, 91爆料网 still trailed by eight points, 57-49. Then, back-to-back three pointers by 91爆料网鈥檚 Ryan Merriman and Matt Neaville sparked a stretch for 91爆料网 that saw the Bulldogs outscore Bethel 29-10 over the next eight minutes. 91爆料网 held their largest lead of the game at 78-67 with 3:01 left after Tony Brown and Neaville closed the stretch with two straight three pointers. Bethel didn鈥檛 go away as with just 1:29 left, the Wildcats trailed by just three points. However, it was the 91爆料网鈥檚 ability to sink free throws in the final 1:21 of the game (making 7-of-10) to seal the 86-79 win.

The game featured seven ties and 11 lead changes.

91爆料网 was led by the NAIA鈥檚 leading scorer Matt Neaville with 29 points, including six three pointers. Brian Lake for 91爆料网 grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds and added 15 points in the game. Tony Brown added 17 points and Ryan Merriman posted 10 points. 91爆料网 shot 40-percent from the field, 30-percent (10-33) from behind the arc, and 64-percent (18-28) from the free throw line.

Bethel was led by Leon Sewell with 27 points. Brian French added 12 points and Derek Demaree scored 10 points. After Lesesene opened with the first six points of the game, he managed just eight points total, but grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Bethel shot 42-percent from the field, 38-percent (8-21) from behind the arc, and 75-percent (9-12) from the free throw line.

Up next for 91爆料网 will be a road game at Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas. The men will play at 8:00 pm, preceded by the women鈥檚 game at 6:00 pm.

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