Alva Review-Courier -

ALVA, Okla.- Northwestern Oklahoma State University men's basketball faced off against NAIA opponent Bethel College (Kansas) Saturday evening after the University's Thanksgiving break. The 9-1 Threshers took the game as an exhibition due to the difference in full game rules but technically earned their second loss of the season to the Rangers. The Rangers were able to take ahold of the lead and rarely let it go, no matter how closely the Threshers came to take it.

The Black and Red were led by Senior Jaedon Whitfield and red-shirt Junior Jack Peck. Whitfield earned his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds, four of which were offensive, and a block. Peck led the team with 18 points with six points and five rebounds. Three other Rangers, in Clive Allen, Parrish Hewitt, and Cole Jones scored in the double-digits with 12, 10, and 10 respectively which secured the win 81-71 and improved their record to 2-5

Northwestern started out hot early in the first half of the game, but the score was quickly tied, and the Threshers found their first lead of the night. A back-and-forth battle soon unfolded through the seven-minute mark but a fast break lay-up by Peck sparked a rallied that held through the first half as a final three-point shot from Cole Jones ended the first with a score of 35-28.

The Rangers continued their rally into the second half of the game as they took a ten-point lead on an exclamation point dunk from Hewitt, with 16:00 on the clock. NWOSU earned their biggest lead of the night shortly after on a made free-throw from Nathan Bailey III with only eight minutes left in the game.

Trey Lunn

Ranger Parrish Hewitt slams the fastbreak dunk in the 81-71 win versus Bethel University Saturday night.

Bethel College seemed down for the count until they kicked their defense into overdrive. Northwestern had eighteen turnovers throughout the game but still held the lead for almost 32 minutes. A huge block form Bailey really kept the Rangers in the game as BC pulled to only within three points at the three-minute mark. A few final free-throw shots from Allen secured the win 71-81

Northwestern struggled with free-throws throughout the game as they made only 21 of the 33 attempts but continued to produce on the floor. The Thresher bench was outstanding as they outscored their starters with 53 points, while Northwestern still earned a good number from their teammates with 24 points from the bench.

Northwestern will play in Moore, Okla. for their next match-up against out-of-conference Randall University on Monday, Dec. 1st. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.