DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman used six players to hit double-digits scoring Friday evening as the Wildcats cruised to a 113-46 home opening win over Trinity College [Fla.] in men's basketball action at Moore Gymnasium.
 
Bethune-Cookman (1-1) scored 66 points in the opening half behind eight (8) three-pointers.
 
Dhashon Dyson and Zion Harmon each contributed 15 points, followed closely by Jakobi Heady with 14 in the first 20 minutes of play. The Wildcats shot 53.7 percent from the field while holding visiting Trinity College (0-1) to just 4 of 32 shooting from the field.
 
The Wildcats defense recorded a program single-game record 23 steals on the night, culminating in 32 points off turnovers, as compared to Trinity's 10 points of 13 BCU miscues for the game.
 
The first half saw the Maroon and Gold race to an 18-0 lead behind the play of Dyson and Harmon, holding the visiting Tigers scoreless for almost the first six minutes.
 
An Elijah Hulsewe putback basket was followed by consecutive buckets off fastbreak opportunities by Reggie Ward Jr., pushing the BCU lead to 48-4 with 5:58 remaining in the half. The Cats defense didn't allow the Tigers to reach double-figures scoring until a Jason McCoy three-pointer from in front of the BCU bench with 3:41 showing on the clock.
 
In the second half, the Tigers upped the momentum and shot 32.3 percent from the field. Meanwhile, Bethune-Cookman used five (5) second-half three-pointers – three of those from Seneca Willoughby, to outscore Trinity by a 47-33 margin over the final 20 minutes.
 
For BCU, it was the first time in the Reggie Theus era the Cats have topped 100 points in a game, and was the highest margin of victory under a Theus-led team – shattering the previous mark under the NBA Hall of Famer which was a 47-point win (88-41) over Johnson University [Fla.] back on December 15, 2021.
 
Trinity College was led in scoring by Jaylin Bain with 12 points, followed by DJ Nunnery with 10. Lukas Battisti had eight rebounds for the Tigers.
 
BCU was topped in the scoring column by Harmon with 20, followed in double digits by Heady (18), Ward Jr. (16), Dyson (15), Hulsewe (13) and Willoughby (11), respectively. Hulsewe finished his double-double performance with a team-high 11 rebounds (seven off the offensive glass). Damani McEntire provided six assists and six steals to lead all players in those categories.
 
GAME NOTES
The 113 points was the most in a single game since the Wildcats scored 104 against Trinity Baptist [Fla.] on Nov. 13, 2018… The 23 steals were a single-game program record for the Maroon and Gold… BCU has now won each of their last 10 home opening games, with the last loss being a 71-65 setback to North Florida on Nov. 27, 2012… With 40 three-pointers attempted in the game, BCU set a new program record for shots attempted beyond the arc in a single game… The Cats have now had at least five players score in double figures in consecutive home games dating back to the 2022-23 season.
 
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman will host Trinity Baptist [Fla.] on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m.
 
Follow Bethune-Cookman Men's Basketball on Twitter (@BCUHoops) and Instagram (@BCU_Hoops) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUAthletics), Instagram (@BCU_Athletics) and BCUathletics.com.