CRESSON, Pa. - The Bethany College men's basketball team defeated Mount Aloysius (Pa.) College by a final score of 87-81 in a non-conference game for head coach Brandon Thorsen's first career win inside the Athletic, Convocation, and Wellness Center. 

Bethany (1-4) secured their first victory of the season and the first in the head coaching career of Thorsen after shooting 50% as a team and leading Mount Aloysius (0-5) for nearly 35 minutes of the game. Thorsen served as the interim head coach in 2022-23 and now makes his way into the record books with the first of many wins as the leader of the Bison men's basketball program.

Bethany Leaders

• Senior guard Co Rose (Odessa, Texas) scored 15 points and led the team in assists once again with five
• Sophomore forward Jayden Jackson (Columbia, S.C./A.C. Flora) was one rebound shy of his third double-double of the season as he recorded 22 points and nine rebounds
• Sophomore guard Bryson Bishop (Dayton, Ohio/Stebbins) tied a game-high 11 rebounds with nine points, two assists, and two blocks
• Graduate Academic All-PAC guard Troy Hixson (Grove City, Ohio/Bishop Ready) added 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists
• Senior guard Ryan Reasbeck (Washington, Pa./Wheeling Central Catholic) had a game-high four steals and contributed 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists
• Sophomore guard Merrick Reynolds (Marysville, Ohio) scored a career-high 11 points and was the fifth bison in double figures 

Mount Aloysius Leaders

• Junior guard Troy Tinch scored a game-high 23 points with 11 rebounds to complete the double-double
• Sophomore forward Senique Jenkins also posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds
• Junior guard Donnie Bass-Briscoe led the team with six assists and added 14 points

First Half (Bethany 47-42)

• Bethany shot 61.3% from the field and went 7-for-17 from deep in the period
• The Green and White took a commanding 40-17 lead with six minutes left to play powered by Jackson's 13 points, but the Mounties went on a 25-7 run to end the half
• The Bison outrebounded the Mounties 17-13 with Bishop corralling six of his 11 on the day

Second Half (Bethany 87-81) 

• The Bison went a perfect 7-for-7 on free throws in the final minute to secure their first victory of the season
• Mount Aloysius stormed back to take a 70-69 lead-their first since the first two minutes of the game and their last of the afternoon as the Green and White would soon regain the lead
• Reasbeck, Rose, and Jackson led the Bison offense as they combined for 28 points

The Bison are back in action on Tuesday, November 25 as they host Wilmington (Ohio) College in a non-conference game at 7 p.m. on Joe Kurey Memorial Court inside Hummel Fieldhouse.