Ottawa, Kan. – The Ottawa University men's basketball put together a strong second-half push, but an early deficit proved too much to overcome as the Braves fell to No. 25 Bethel College, 76–66, Saturday afternoon inside Wilson Field House.
First Half
Ottawa opened the game with early energy, jumping out to a 6–2 lead behind a
Jackson Harding bucket and a
Landyn Tyler three-pointer. The Braves continued to battle on the glass early, with
Micah Willis grabbing multiple defensive rebounds to limit second chances.
Bethel responded with pressure defense and transition scoring, using turnovers to fuel an 11–2 run midway through the half. Carmelo Yakubu and Trenton Patterson combined to push the Threshers in front, while Bethel capitalized on offensive rebounds and fast-break opportunities.
Ottawa struggled to find rhythm offensively, shooting just 21.4 percent from the field in the opening half. Despite solid efforts from Tyler and
Jackson Esary inside, Bethel closed the half on a late surge, extending the lead to 30–19 at the break.
Second Half
The Braves came out aggressive in the second half, attacking the paint and forcing turnovers. Esary, Harding, and Willis helped spark an early run, trimming the deficit to 11 after a Willis fast-break layup and a
Micah Willis three-pointer at the 13:55 mark.
Ottawa continued to chip away, cutting the margin to single digits several times as Esary and
Rich Martelly converted second-chance opportunities and Willis connected from deep.
However, Bethel answered each push with timely perimeter shooting. Rustan Griffen and Patterson hit key three-pointers during an 18–5 stretch that rebuilt the Threshers' lead to 20 with under five minutes remaining.
The Braves closed the game strong, outscoring Bethel 21–11 over the final stretch behind late buckets from
Elijah Mason and Willis, but the comeback attempt came up short as Bethel secured the 76–66 victory.
Game Stats Breakdown
Team Stats
- FG%: Bethel 43.9% | Ottawa 35.8%
- 3PT FG: Bethel 8–24 (33.3%) | Ottawa 6–22 (27.3%)
- FT: Bethel 10–14 (71.4%) | Ottawa 12–20 (60.0%)
- Rebounds: Bethel 40 | Ottawa 45
- Turnovers: Bethel 13 | Ottawa 17
Ottawa Individual Leaders
Bethel Individual Leaders
- Points: Carmelo Yakubu – 18; Trenton Patterson – 18
- Rebounds: Carmelo Yakubu – 9
- Assists: Kaeson Fischer-Brown – 4; Dominick Harris – 4
Who is Next
Ottawa (9-9, 5-7) returns to the court on Wednesday, January 21 in Wilson Field House against the University of Saint Mary Spires. Game time is set for 8:00 p.m.
