WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern heads into Wednesday's matchup with Bethel looking to build on strong stretches of play despite an 83–74 loss at McPherson on Saturday. The Builders (4–1,0-1) controlled much of the first half, shooting 51% and taking a nine-point lead into the break before the Bulldogs caught fire late.
McPherson shot 59% in the second half, led by Korbin Gunn's 27 points and Charles Snyder's 20 points and nine rebounds. Southwestern stayed within reach behind Evan Barber's 22 points and six 3-pointers. Wyatt Bell added 19 points, and Nigel John finished with 10 as the Builders continued to generate quality looks despite a colder second half and a 38–32 rebounding deficit.
Bethel (5-1,1-0) took the first meeting between the teams last season with an 81–68 win in North Newton. The Threshers built a halftime lead behind balanced scoring from Nick Bonner, who had 20 points, and Carmelo Yakubu, who added 16 points and nine rebounds.
Bell led the Builders with a game-high 25 points in that contest, while Zach Hidalgo grabbed 11 rebounds.
The follow-up meeting in Winfield stayed close for much of the night before Bethel pulled away late for an 81–68 win, despite a 45% shooting effort from Southwestern and another strong performance from Bell. The Builders generated cleaner looks in the half court and held their own on the glass, but the Threshers made the key plays down the stretch to seal the victory.
Southwestern has also leaned on strong early-season production across its roster. Bell is pacing the Builders at 22.0 points per game while shooting 53% from the field, and Barber has added 16.8 points per game with a 53% mark from beyond the arc. Hidalgo has been a force on the glass, averaging 7.8 rebounds, and John has provided efficient interior scoring at 9.4 points per game on 83% shooting. As a team, the Builders are averaging 86.0 points and shooting 52.8%, while holding a dominant rebounding margin of nearly 18 boards per game.
Southwestern returns to Stewart Fieldhouse on Wednesday at 7 p.m., aiming to build on its early-season momentum and reverse last year's results against a Bethel squad that has consistently played the Builders tough.
