#13-ranked Dalton State lit it up from behind the arc, connecting on 14-three's in a 95-91 win over Bethel (Tenn.) at Crisp Arena in McKenzie, Tenn. on Monday night.
The Roadrunners were in for a fight against Bethel. The game would be a back-and-forth affair the entire first half with the teams combining for seven ties and 11 lead changes.
With both teams playing exceptional defense the game would remain tight, but the Roadrunners would finally pull away late and go up by three, 37-34, off a Wildcat turnover with 2:00 left in the half.
The defense on both ends again would tighten back up and would not allow another basket for the rest of the half.
Senior Reed Dungan
would spark the Roadrunners in the first half with 14 points on the back of four shots from long distance. Dalton State would take the momentum at the end of the half to go into the break with a slim 37-34 lead.
To start the second half the Roadrunners would jump out to a quick 13-6 run in the first three minutes to pull the lead out to 12 after a rebound and put-back from Sean Chislom
at the 16:11 mark . A quick 14-5 Bethel run aided by Dalton State turnovers would bring the Wildcats to within four at 58-54 with 12:24 remaining. Dalton State would ride the hot hand of Isaiah Box
throughout the second half. Box would connect on six treys, some from the parking lot, to keep Bethel at bay.
Later in the half, the hot shooting Roadrunners would begin to cool off and the Wildcats would trim the lead to four, 86-82, with 5:00 remaining. Dalton State would ride on the back of Reed Dungan
down the stretch. Dungan would hit four key free throws in the final minute as Dalton State would hold on and defeat the Bethel Wildcats with the final score, 95-91.
Dalton State improves to (8-3 overall, 3-1 SSAC) with the win, while Bethel (Tenn.) falls to (8-7 overall, 1-2 SSAC) with the loss. Dungan
led all scorers with 29 points and 1 steal in the win. Sean Chisolm and Isiah Box combined for 43 points, while senior Camilious Simmons
corralled 12 rebounds and had 2 blocks. All 23 of Box's points came in the second half.
Isaac Edmonson led the Wildcats with 22 points, 4 assists and 7 rebounds. Teammates Bradley Walker and Jared Walker followed him up combining for 28 points.
The Roadrunners will play Cumberland University (Tenn.) at home on Saturday, Dec. 29, in the second game of the Roadrunner Holiday Classic. Tip-Off is scheduled for 8 p.m. in Mashburn Arena.