Lady Pilots top Saint Francis in tough overtime battle on the road

The Lady Pilots continued their perfect season in the MCC Thursday Jan. 5, defeating Saint Francis in a nail biting overtime thriller. The two teams ended regulation with a 74-74 tie; however, Bethel was able to dig deep and outscore the Lady Cougars 12-5 and grab a 86-79 win. It was a tough road win for the Lady Pilots who benefited from both strong play from experienced players and a deep lineup. Bethel found themselves in a quick hole to open up the game but were able to capitalize on several offensive possessions and established a 14-5 lead. From there, they would continue to play with high intensity and sustained a 36-32 lead heading into halftime. In the second half, Bethel came out with hopes of putting the game out of reach as they eventually claimed a 47-36 lead. Nevertheless, Saint Francis would not go away and regained the lead from the Lady Pilots 66-60 with six minutes remaining in the contest. Kristin Hicks showed her confidence, knocking down two momentous threes which helped Bethel put the game into overtime. In the end, Laura Johnson netted a game high of 23 points, while Hicks and Baysia Cox each chipped in 14. The major stat of the night was Bethel hustling to outrebound the Lady Cougars 41-24. This win puts Bethel at 5-0 in the MCC and tied with Indiana Wesleyan. The Lady Pilots will return home this Saturday Jan. 7 for a four game home stand. Bethel will face the Knights, who are currently 3-2 in the MCC. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m.