Wichita, Kan. – Bethel Men's Basketball came inches away from another road KCAC victory, but a late put-back with six seconds remaining handed the Threshers a tough 70–69 defeat at Friends on Wednesday night.
Bethel (7–2, 3–1 KCAC) shot a strong 53.7% from the field and controlled the rebounding margin 37–25, but struggled at the free-throw line and committed 17 turnovers—both factors that helped keep Friends within striking distance.
First Half – Threshers Control the Tempo
The Threshers opened the game with sharp ball movement and efficient scoring inside from Albert Diarra and Carmelo Yakubu. A late finish from Drew Rodriguez pushed Bethel into halftime with a 40–37 advantage.
Second Half – Big Responses on Both Ends
Friends opened the second half with a run to take the lead, but Bethel's depth stepped up again—most notably Brayden Schilling
With momentum swinging toward Friends and the Falcons threatening to extend the lead, Schilling drilled a massive three-pointer from the left corner. That shot halted the Falcons' run, steadied Bethel offensively, and helped ignite a quick swing that put the Threshers right back into the game.
It was one of the biggest buckets of the night and proved crucial in setting up Bethel's late push.
Moments later, Rodriguez knocked down another three, and Yakubu continued carving up the paint to give the Threshers a 64–62 lead.
Final Sequence – A Heartbreaker
Bethel led 69–66 in the final minutes before Friends took the lead it with back-to-back scores. After a defensive stop, the Falcons grabbed an offensive rebound and scored the go-ahead basket with six seconds to play.
The Threshers pushed the ball up the floor and got a clean look from Trenton Patterson at the buzzer, but the shot was too long sealing the win for Friends.
Bethel Leaders
Team Strengths:
Next Up
Saturday at Evangel – 2:00 PM
The Threshers look to bounce back quickly as they travel to Springfield.
