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Bethel Wins 2020 SSAC Women’s Basketball Championship

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Top-seeded Bethel (Tenn.) defeated third-seeded Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 65-59 to win the 2020 SSAC Women’s Basketball Championship, presented by Newk’s Eatery.
This is the first SSAC Women’s Basketball Tournament title for the Wildcats, who also won the regular season title.
Both teams receive automatic bids to the 2020 NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship.
The game featured five lead changes, with all of those coming in the first quarter.
Bethel ended the first quarter on a 6-0 run and never trailed, despite the RedHawks pulling within 61-59 with 23 seconds to go as Mickey Head went 4-for-4 from the FT line the rest of the way.
The teams combined for only 17 turnovers, while Bethel shot 70% from the FT line, compared to 57% for MMC.

Head led Bethel with 18 points and seven boards, while Tasia Jones added 17 points and five rebounds.
Morgan Martin finished in double digits with 13 points; she grabbed six rebounds while Tyasia Willis grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.
MMC got 20 points and five assists from Taylor McNairy and nine points and six rebounds from Faith Sherrow.
The No. 6 nationally-ranked Lady Wildcats moved to 29-4. The Cats have won 21 straight and will make their eighth-straight national tournament appearance after capturing the regular season crown for the fifth time in the last seven years. It will be Bethel’s eighth straight appearance in the national tournament and mark the 11th time in the last 12 seasons to accomplish that feat.
That winning streak is the second best ever in program history. Bethel won 24 in a row in the 2014-15 season when they finished 32-4 and reached the Elite Eight of the national tournament.
The Lady Cats are 112-18 all-time against SSAC opponents.
Coach Chris Nelson spoke about the week, the title and his team. “It was a magical week in Montgomery and it ended on a perfect note. Our staff did a wonderful job having us prepared all week and we wanted this championship for our players. They have put in a tremendous amount of work this year and today it paid dividends. This group of ladies are so loving of each other and are the most unselfish group of people I have ever been around. The following of fans that came to the game or the ones back home following every game and every second is a testament to our girls. I tell them all the time that you win with people and that stayed true today. Big thank you to the band and our SID staff for making this one to remember. We will give them a few days off to recharge and enjoy this one and then will get back to work as we prepare for the big picture out in Billings, Montana.”

Bethel University, Basketball, SSAC