SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—The Bethel College men's basketball team secured a hard-fought 73-70 victory over Evangel University on Saturday afternoon at AGFinancial Arena. With the win, the Threshers improved to 15-7 overall and 11-5 in KCAC.

Harper Jonas had a great night, leading Bethel with 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including six three-pointers. Carmelo Yakubu added 20 points and four rebounds, while Cade Kittrell dominated the glass with 12 rebounds to go along with four points.

How It Happened

The game was a battle from the start, with both teams trading buckets throughout the first half. Bethel and Evangel went into halftime knotted at 36-36 after a competitive opening 20 minutes.

Jonas and Yakubu sparked the Threshers early in the second half, helping them build a slight advantage. Bethel's defense tightened up down the stretch, forcing key misses and limiting Evangel's three-point shooting to just 18.2% in the second half.

Despite Evangel making a late push, Yakubu sealed the game with two clutch free throws in the final seconds, giving Bethel the three-point edge.

Inside the Numbers

• Bethel shot 43.8% from the field and 27.6% from beyond the arc.
• The Threshers converted 75% (9-of-12) of their free throws.
• Bethel forced 11 Evangel turnovers while committing just six.
• The Threshers held a 14-8 advantage in points off turnovers.

Up Next

Bethel will return home on Wednesday, February 5th, for a key matchup against Sterling College. Tip-off is set for 8:00 PM at Thresher Gym as Bethel looks to keep climbing in the KCAC standings.