NORTH NEWTON, Kan.—The Bethel College men's basketball team returned to form with an 80-68 victory over McPherson College on Saturday evening at Thresher Gym. Behind good performances from Carmelo Yakubu and Nick Bonner, the Threshers improved to 13-7 overall and 9-5 in KCAC play.

Yakubu led Bethel with 21 points and nine rebounds, shooting 9-of-14 from the field. Bonner contributed 20 points and six rebounds, including key baskets down the stretch to fend off a late push by McPherson. Harper Jonas added 14 points, going 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.

How It Happened

Bethel set the tone early, holding a 37-35 lead at halftime after a tightly contested opening 20 minutes. Yakubu dominated inside, while Jonas' three-point shooting provided a spark.

The Threshers pulled away in the second half with a 43-point performance, fueled by a 50% shooting clip and timely defensive stops. Bethel's defense held McPherson to just 31.7% shooting for the game, while outscoring them 42-16 in the paint.

McPherson's Jamil Hardaway led the Bulldogs with 18 points, but the Threshers' balanced scoring and rebounding edge proved too much for the visitors.

Inside the Numbers

• Bethel shot 47.5% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range.
• The Threshers outrebounded McPherson 41-36, including a 12-6 edge in offensive boards.
• Bethel's defense forced seven turnovers and limited McPherson to just 22.6% shooting in the second half.
• Cade Kittrell added a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Up Next

Bethel travels to Southwestern College on Wednesday, January 29th, for another KCAC matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 PM as the Threshers aim to continue their strong conference play.