SPRING ARBOR, MI - For the first time this season, somebody beat Spring Arbor University's men's basketball team on Bockwitz Court. Bethel College (12-7, 2-3) nipped Spring Arbor University (11-8, 3-2) 61-59.
This was a game of lost opportunities for the Cougars who started each half of the game cold and that ended up deciding the victor in the game. Down 7-2 after almost four minutes to start the game, the Cougars roared back and built up a 9 point halftime lead 31-22 at the break. But Bethel started the second half on a mission and tied the game at 38 at 13:04 to go in the game.
With Bethel on top 59-54 with a minute to go, Matt Howe grabbed an offensive rebound from a missed Willie Pickvet jumper and put in a layup to cut the lead to 3 points. After a missed free throw on the front end of a one and one, Chris Bellamy grabbed the rebound and DJ Baisden drove a crowded lane but didn't get the call.
Forced to foul, Bethel made both ends of another one and one, but SAU still had chances at the end. Baisden hit a clutch 3 pointer with 11 seconds to go to close the gap to 2 points and Bethel turned the ball over with 1.1 seconds remaining. Baisden's 3 point attempt fell just short as time ran out to give Bethel the win.
Baisden led all scorers with 20 points including four 3 pointers. Baisden also moved into 19th place tonight passing 1985 grad Todd Edmonds on Spring Arbor's All-Time Scorers list. In 120 games for the Cougars, DJ has scored 1,443 points giving him a career average of 12.03 points per game.
Willie Pickvet scored 15 points, and Chris Bellamy added 13 points and grabbed 8 rebounds for Spring Arbor.
The Cougars will travel to Marion, IN on Saturday to play Indiana Wesleyan with a 3:00 starting time.
