NORTH NEWTON, Kan. - The Bethel College Men's Basketball team hosted the Sterling College Warriors for the first time under new head coach Randy Stange. The Warriors used the hot shooting hand of Rollerson to outlast the Threshers 75-67.

Both team struggled to score the ball to start the contest as the first made bucket for either side didn't come until the 16:30 mark when the Warriors broke the seal. Both teams traded buckets and leads with neither leading by more than two until the Warriors scored seven straight to go up five points, 17-12. Back to back three pointers from Clifford Byrd II and Harper Jonas sandwiched a Sterling bucket to cut the lead to one point late in the half. Bethel held a three point lead with just over four minutes left, but was outscored by Sterling 14-6 to close out the half.

Coming out of the break the Warriors were able to maintain the lead even pushing it as high as eight points at times. The Threshers put together a 5-0 run to tie the game at 42 with 15:00 minutes left to play. A Bryant Mocaby four point play gave Bethel their first lead of the second half just a minute later. The Threshers were able to hold the lead for some time, but the Warriors never let it get to far out of hand. Sterling took the lead back with 10:26 remaining and never relinquished it. Bethel was able to keep within one or two possessions until the final seconds.

Key Statistic
 
The Threshers were unable to slow down Sterling's Cedric Rollerson who finished with a game high 25 points while shooting 70% from the floor. 
 
By The Numbers
 
The Threshers won the points in the paint battle 46-26.

Bethel shot over 41% from the floor, but the Warriors shot a blistering 55% as a team.
 
Bethel finished the game with 9 steals as a team. 
 
Seven Threshers scored in the loss led by Clifford Byrd II with 17 points, Carmelo Yakubu with 15 points and Bryant Mocaby with 12 points.
 
The Warriors pulled in eight more boards than the Threshers did winning the battle on the glass 39-31.
 
Thresher Leaders
 
Points: Clifford Byrd II (17)
 
Rebounds: Clifford Byrd II (7)
 
Assists: Clifford Byrd II (5)
 
Steals: Clifford Byrd II (3)
 
Blocks: Ekene Duru (1)
 
Next Up
 
The Threshers are back in action on Saturday, December 10th as they travel to Hillsboro to take on the Tabor Bluejays with tip-off scheduled for 7:00 PM.