WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern College will look to rebound in Conference play when the Lady Builders host Bethel College at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, at Stewart Field House.
Southwestern (3-2, 0-1) returns home after a narrow 70-66 loss to McPherson in its conference opener. The Lady Builders are averaging 65.6 points per game while allowing 63.2, and they hold a slight edge on the glass with a 35.2–34.8 rebounding margin.
Guard Macey Pond has led the way early, averaging 17.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. She is Southwestern's top scorer and rebounder and will be central to the Lady Builders' game plan against a Bethel front line that also rebounds well.
Southwestern's perimeter group has provided balance. Guard Breanna Goad averages 10.6 points per game and has knocked down 11 three-pointers while shooting 92 percent from the free-throw line. Guards Kennedy Ford and Martha De La Rosa each add 10.0 points per game. Ford also pulls down 6.4 rebounds per contest, and De La Rosa has hit 10 threes at a 35.7 percent clip.
In the paint, Aubrey Pond has given the Builders efficient minutes, averaging 6.8 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting better than 55 percent from the field.
Bethel (3-2, 1-0) enters the game with one of the league's most explosive offenses, averaging 77.8 points per outing. The Lady Threshers are shooting 43.6 percent from the field and own a plus-3.4 rebounding margin, grabbing 36.4 boards per game.
Bethel is led by the Locke sisters. Kendall Locke averages 18.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, while Karlee Locke is close behind at 18.0 points and 8.2 rebounds. Both are capable of scoring at all three levels, and Karlee has been particularly dangerous from the perimeter, shooting 33 percent from three overall and 50 percent from beyond the arc in conference play.
Forward Madyson McKinzie adds 15.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, giving Bethel three double-figure scorers. The Threshers also share the ball well, averaging 17.6 assists per game, and they force 20.2 turnovers on average behind an active defense that collects more than 10 steals per contest.
In their conference opener on Nov. 15, Bethel defeated Saint Mary 79-68, outrebounding the Spires 42-27 and hitting nine three-pointers.
The series history tilts toward Bethel in recent years. Southwestern leads the all-time series 24-19, but Bethel has won the last 10 meetings, a stretch that dates back to the 2020-21 season. The most recent matchup came Jan. 29, 2025, in Winfield, where Bethel earned an 83-65 victory.
For Southwestern, several key areas will likely decide Wednesday's game. The Lady Builders will need to hold their own on the boards against Bethel's strong rebounding frontcourt and limit turnovers against a defense that thrives on steals and transition opportunities. Offensively, consistency from the three-point line and free-throw line will be important, with Goad, De La Rosa and Emma Parker expected to space the floor on the perimeter.
Containing Kendall and Karlee Locke will be another point of emphasis. The pair combines for more than 36 points per game, and slowing at least one of them could shift the momentum in Southwestern's favor.
Wednesday's contest offers the Lady Builders a chance to claim their first conference win of the season, protect home court and halt Bethel's decade-long run of success in the series.
