Bethel women move to 6-4 in KCAC play with win over Oklahoma Wesleyan
Bethel women move to 6-4 in KCAC play with win over Oklahoma Wesleyan
Locke and McKinzie combined for 50 of the Threshers' points in the contest.
The Bethel women’s basketball team defeated Oklahoma Wesleyan on Saturday by a score of 94-76 in a game where the Threshers saw a pair of their talented freshmen score 25 points apiece.
Kendall Locke and Madyson McKinzie dominated against the Eagles to help the Threshers capture their second straight conference win. McKinzie also led the team with a game-high ten rebounds for the Threshers, resulting in a double-double for the 5’10 forward, her third of the season.
“We made it a priority to run, hustle, and be tough on the court,” said McKinzie from Dumas, Ark. “With Oklahoma Wesleyan we definitely had to keep our heads on a swivel and continue to show people that we are capable and better than ever.”
The Threshers shot the ball extremely well against the Eagles, hitting 53% of shots from the field, including 60% from three-point range, and shooting 93.8% on free throws, besting their season average by 30%.
When asked about their great shooting performance, interim head coach Rocky Lamar had this to say about the Threshers:
“If you are running [the court] you’re getting to see it go in,” said Lamar on the Threshers’ array of fast break lay-ups. “Even if it isn’t shot from that far, all of the sudden if you’re making those it’s amazing how often shots on the perimeter also seem to go in. It all ties together.”
The Threshers ran the court well on offense, but they did struggle in their transition defense, giving up 25 fast break points to the Eagles. Despite this, the Threshers were able to have a strong defensive outing in other aspects, as they held Oklahoma Wesleyan to an 8.3% shooting performance from behind the arc.
Even after two big games by Bethel, bringing their conference record to 6-4, the Threshers know they have room for improvement in the remainder of the season.
“As a team, we need to work on getting familiar with personnel, rebounding, and fighting through adversity,” said McKinzie on the subject.
The Threshers will look to improve in these aspects and keep their hot streak alive as they head to Springfield, Mo. to take on Evangel on Wednesday in a battle of teams tied for fourth place in the KCAC.