ITTA BENA, Miss. - The Wildcats are off to their best conference start since 2019 as they took down Mississippi Valley State, 80-64, to improve to 3-1 in SWAC play, Saturday night in at the R.W. Harrison HPER Complex.

Game statistics are under review and will likely be updated in the coming days. 



Bethune-Cookman (9-9, 3-1 SWAC) wasted no time jumping all over Mississippi Valley State (0-18, 0-5 SWAC). The Wildcats scored 13 straight to open the game, and 17 of the first 20.

Both offenses stagnated a bit midway through the half, but Dhashon Dyosn's laup at the five-minute mark pushed B-CU to their largest lead of the half at 29-12. 

The Delta Devils battled back, cutting things to single digits on a steal and a layup by Danny Washington to make it 31-23.

Mason Dorsey's free throws pushed the lead back to 11 as the two teams hit the half.

Jakobi Heady's three ball bumped the B-CU lead back up to 20 at 57-37. 

MVSU did not go away as Ray'Quan Brown's free throws cut the lead to 12, and then down to nine on Brown's three with five minutes to play. 

The Wildcats rode the charity stripe to the win from there, as they finished off a 34-44 night from the line on the way to the 80-64 victory. 

• Jakobi Heady and Dhashon Dyson each posted 16 points for B-CU.
• B-CU outrebounded MVSU, 35-34. 
• James Henderson Jr. and Elijah Hulsewe each had two blocks.
• Dhashon Dyson had four steals, Damani McEntire had three.
• B-CU scored 38 points in the paint to 18 for MVSU.
• 44 free throw attempts is the most in a game for the Wildcats since they attempted 46 against Coppin State back in 2018.

   

The Wildcats will face off with Arkansas - Pine Bluff and old friend Joe French on Monday, Jan. 22. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m.

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