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Judson News
Men's Basketball - Fri, Nov 14, 2008
#2 Bethel College 100, Judson 85 - Box l Season Stats
St. Francis 85, Mt. Mercy 75 - Box
 
Elgin, IL - Facing their biggest challenge so far in the 2008-09 season, Judson University (2-2) was even with #2 Bethel College (4-0) but the Pilots pulled away in the second half for a 100-85 win. This game was the closest game for Bethel this season as they were holding teams to just 60 points a game and winning by an average of 44.
 
For the second game in a row Josh Edwards (Mapleton, IL) led Judson with a 20 point performance canning 25 points. He had a career-high 36 points earlier this week against Ashford. Landon Skinner (Plano, TX) finished with 17 points and was followed by LeStan Hoskin's 15 points and Dovydas Retkus' 10 points. Hoskins and Ben Rayhorn (Dakota, IL) led Judson with five rebounds. Bethel's William Walker led all scorers with 27 points.
 

Bethel led from the beginning and never gave up the lead. Judson tied the game at 10 (16:08) on a three-pointer by Edwards only to see Bethel score the next five points for a 15-10 advantage. Judson cut the lead to one, twice (17-16, 19-18) but could not find the basket for the lead. With 6:08 left in the half, Judson was within three, 36-33 on a layup by Edwards. Over the next three minutes, Bethel had a 12-4 run to take an 11-point lead, 48-37. Ryne Lightfoot gave Bethel an 11-point lead at the half when hit a jumper with just six seconds left for a 54-43 lead.

Starting the second half on a 7-2 run, Bethel had a 16-point lead (61-45) just over two minutes into the new half. They pushed their lead to 17, 68-51, at the 15:07 mark. Just as it looked like Bethel was going to run away with the game, Judson stepped up.

Over the next three minutes, Judson played stellar defense and ignited on the offensive end with a 12-0 run to come within five, 68-63. Josh Weber (Sterling, IL) and Skinner both had five points each in the run making a three-pointer and a bucket. Judson had a chance to cut the lead to two at the 11:47 mark but missed a three-pointer and Bethel scored the next two buckets. Up nine, Bethel did not let their guard down. Judson did come within five, again, 72-67, at the 10:17 mark, but in the next four minutes Bethel had a 15-4 run for a 16-point lead, 87-71. Bethel did not let the lead slip under 10 after that.

Judson was pretty much even with Bethel in the stats category. Judson shot 45% from the floor, 29% from beyond the arc, and 74% from the stripe while Bethel mad 52% of their shots, 26% from three-point range, and 68% from the free throw line. Bethel out rebounded Judson, 39-32, and forced 20 turnovers while Judson only forced 15. Each team had three blocks and Judson had 10 steals to Bethel's eight.

Judson will now face Mt. Mercy in the consolation game at 2:00 p.m. in the Lindner Fitness Center. This game will be a rematch for the season opener for the Eagles when they fell last weekend to Mt. Mercy, 79-77. Bethel will face St. Francis (IL) at 4:00 p.m. in the championship.