Cougar News
Men's Basketball - Fri, Jan 20, 2012
MAYFIELD,Ky. - In the game of basketball, free throws and layups often decide close games. When teams perform well in these areas, they put themselves in position to win games, and when teams struggle at the rim and on the line, games can easily slip away. Such was the case on Thursday night.
The Mid-Continent University men's baskeball team (2-16, 1-4) hung close against the Bethel University Wildcats (13-6, 3-2 )but thanks to a poor shooting night the Cougars fell to the Wildcats 76-69.The Cougars came out sluggish on the opening couple of possessions, but quickly built a nine-point lead at 14-5 with 13:58 left in the first half. Bethel would not go away, however, as they answered with an 11-0 run to take the lead 16-14. Chris Tillman gave the Cougars the lead back with a three-point play at the 9:19 mark, but Bethel immediately reclaimed the advantage and they would not relinquish it in the period, taking a 36-29 lead into the locker room. Bethel opened the second half on 6-1 spurt, stretching their lead to a dozen points with 2:53 gone in the period - their largest lead of the game. The Cougars, however, answered with a 13-0 run that gave them the lead back, 43-42, with 13:26 on the clock. After Bethel briefly reclaimed the lead, Chris Ferguson sank a pair of free throws to give Mid-Continent the advantage once again. The Wildcats would reclaim the lead moments later, pulling out to a 10-point edge at 63-53 with 6:02 remaining, but the Cougars would work their way back into the game. Charles Peden knotted the score at the 2:39 mark, and again 1:17 later, but the Cougars would not lead again. Bethel sealed the game at the foul line in the final minute, taking the seven-point win 76-69.
Ferguson finished with a double double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 boards, while Peden and Chris Tillman also scored in double figures. Ferguson added four blocked shots in the game, and Reggie Elkins notched three steals as well. The Cougars, however, did not shoot the ball well in the game, shooting just under 30-percent from the floor (22-74, 29.7%) and from long range (6-23, 26.1%), while making only 55-percent of their free throws in the game (19-34). The Cougars did manage to out-rebound the Wildcats 50-49 and they forced six more turnovers than they committed (22-16) in the contest as well.
Next up for the Cougars is a road trip to Henderson, Tenn. on Saturday. Mid-Continent will head to RV Freed-Hardeman (13-6, 3-2) where they will do battle with the Lions at 4 p.m. The game can be heard via a live audio stream on the Cougars' website. The link to the broadcast can be found at http://www.midcontinentcougars.com/f/Live_Game_Audio.php.
The Mid-Continent University men's baskeball team (2-16, 1-4) hung close against the Bethel University Wildcats (13-6, 3-2 )but thanks to a poor shooting night the Cougars fell to the Wildcats 76-69.The Cougars came out sluggish on the opening couple of possessions, but quickly built a nine-point lead at 14-5 with 13:58 left in the first half. Bethel would not go away, however, as they answered with an 11-0 run to take the lead 16-14. Chris Tillman gave the Cougars the lead back with a three-point play at the 9:19 mark, but Bethel immediately reclaimed the advantage and they would not relinquish it in the period, taking a 36-29 lead into the locker room. Bethel opened the second half on 6-1 spurt, stretching their lead to a dozen points with 2:53 gone in the period - their largest lead of the game. The Cougars, however, answered with a 13-0 run that gave them the lead back, 43-42, with 13:26 on the clock. After Bethel briefly reclaimed the lead, Chris Ferguson sank a pair of free throws to give Mid-Continent the advantage once again. The Wildcats would reclaim the lead moments later, pulling out to a 10-point edge at 63-53 with 6:02 remaining, but the Cougars would work their way back into the game. Charles Peden knotted the score at the 2:39 mark, and again 1:17 later, but the Cougars would not lead again. Bethel sealed the game at the foul line in the final minute, taking the seven-point win 76-69.
Ferguson finished with a double double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 boards, while Peden and Chris Tillman also scored in double figures. Ferguson added four blocked shots in the game, and Reggie Elkins notched three steals as well. The Cougars, however, did not shoot the ball well in the game, shooting just under 30-percent from the floor (22-74, 29.7%) and from long range (6-23, 26.1%), while making only 55-percent of their free throws in the game (19-34). The Cougars did manage to out-rebound the Wildcats 50-49 and they forced six more turnovers than they committed (22-16) in the contest as well.
Next up for the Cougars is a road trip to Henderson, Tenn. on Saturday. Mid-Continent will head to RV Freed-Hardeman (13-6, 3-2) where they will do battle with the Lions at 4 p.m. The game can be heard via a live audio stream on the Cougars' website. The link to the broadcast can be found at http://www.midcontinentcougars.com/f/Live_Game_Audio.php.
