DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Isaiah Bailey and Joe French each scored 24 points while Cletrell Pope posted a 22-point, 19-rebound double-double as Bethune-Cookman downed Johnson (Fla.) 110-68 in its season opener Wednesday night in Historic Moore Gymnasium.

Houston Smith also double-doubled with 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Wildcats registered a 100-point opening night at home for the third straight year of the Ryan Ridder era.

Pope, the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference defensive player of the year and preseason player of the year, had his double-double secured late in the first half as the Wildcats took a 57-25 halftime lead.
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French, a freshman from Orlando, was 5-7 from three-point range in the second half as BCU took its biggest lead at 90-46 on a Smith lay-up with 8:53 left. French's three-pointer with 2:33 left put the Wildcats at the century mark.

Bailey, whose 2018-19 season ended after three games due to injury, was 7-12 from the field and 9-10 from the line while also posting seven rebounds and six steals.

All eight Wildcats scored. Wali Parks and Justyn King posted 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively.

Coached by BCU alum and former Mainland HS coach Landis McCoy, Johnson (1-5) got 24 points from Freddie Ward.

BCU travels to face Texas Tech, last year's NCAA runner-up, Saturday night.