The Basics

Score: Evangel 90, Bethany 75

Location: Springfield, Mo. (Ashcroft Center)

Records: Evangel (15-9, 13-6); Bethany (3-21, 2-17)

Box Score 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- After a strong road win against Avila on Saturday, Evangel returned home to take on the Bethany Swedes, looking for their seventh consecutive win. The Swedes would hit 14 threes on Wednesday, but the Valor offense would shoot 59.3 percent to overcome Bethany's hot shooting, taking a 90-75 victory over the Swedes.

Although Bethany would race out to an early lead over Evangel, the Valor would use a 20-5 run, fueled by baskets from the duo of Josh Pritchett and Josh Mason to take a 22-11 lead over the Swedes. Bethany's hot three point shooting would create a 16-4 run for the Swedes, as BC took a 27-26 lead over the Valor. Bethany continued their strong end to the half, taking as much as an eight point lead over Evangel, 44-36. Josh Pritchett would score a basket on Evangel's final possession, making it a 46-42, Bethany lead at the halftime break.

The Valor offense would find their mark in the second half, scoring 48 points and allowing just 29 from the Bethany offense. Both teams played a back-and-forth game in the first 10 minutes of the second half, but after a Bert Capel timeout with 9:10 remaining, leading 65-64, Evangel got hot from the floor and began to build a lead against the Swedes. Evangel allowed just 11 points the rest of the quarter, scoring 25, with several buckets coming from Josh Pritchett and Jace Coffie, pushing Evangel to a 15-point win, 90-75.

QUOTABLE 

"I didn't think we guarded well in the first half, give Bethany credit, they made shots. I thought with 10 minutes to go in the game, we finally buckled down on the defensive end and strung some stops together," head coach Bert Capel stated. "Glad we found a way to finish the game!"

NOTABLE 

• Josh Pritchett led the Valor with a double-double, 19 points and 10 assists in the win on Wednesday.

• Jace Coffie scored 19 points in the win, tying his career high.

• EU forced 18 Bethany turnovers.

• Evangel scored 90 points for their sixth time this season.

NEXT UP 

Valor MBB competes in their penultimate home game on Saturday (Feb. 17) afternoon, hosting the Sterling Warriors at 5:00 p.m. in the Ashcroft Center.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.