Men’s Basketball falls to Bethany

Box Score GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Thiel College men's basketball team challenged Presidents' Athletic Conference-leading Bethany College but ultimately suffered a 66-53 setback at home Saturday.

The Tomcats trailed the Bison for most of the first half, using a three-pointer by freshman Josh Johnson (Monroeville, Pa./Imani Christian Academy) to cut the Bethany lead down to five (23-18) with 3:33 remaining in the opening stanza. Unfortunately, the Bison went on a 12-4 run to head to intermission with a 35-22 lead.

After the break, Thiel answered with an 11-2 run spanning the first four minutes of action, as a tip dunk off of a Khari Bess (Waldorf, Md./Maurice J. Mcdonough) miss by junior Eric Mallinger (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) drew the Tomcats to within four (37-33).

Thiel, however, could not overcome costly turnovers down the stretch, as the Tomcats committed 11 second half turnovers- and 22 total, as the Bison left Greenville with the win.

Bess led the Tomcats with 13 points. He also grabbed three rebounds, dished out seven assists and recorded two blocks and a steal. Mallinger added seven points to go along with a team-high 12 rebounds, an assist, and a block.

Five Bison scored in double-figures, led by Tyrone Smothers with a game-high 14 points.

The Tomcats (4-5, 1-2 PAC) are on the road next, traveling to Latrobe, Pa. on Jan. 8 to take on the Saint Vincent Bearcats. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.

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