LINDSBORG – The first half was something that the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes would like to have forgotten on Saturday night against the Bethany College Swedes. Bethany shot 58.3 percent from the field and scored 54 first half points as the Swedes beat the Coyotes 98-67 at Hahn Gymnasium.

The bigger, faster, stronger, upperclassmen laden Swedes took control in the first half and never looked back against the young Coyotes. Wesleyan led 7-5 with 17:33 to go in the first half on a pair of free throws by Dane Brinker but saw Bethany use a 7-0 run capped by a bucket by Chris Dean to take a 12-7 lead with 15:53 to go in the first half.

An old fashioned three-point play by Scott Weber with 12:57 left got the Coyotes within two points at 16-14 when things went south for the Coyotes. Back-to-back turnovers and two missed shots by the Coyotes during a 10-0 explosion by the Swedes extended the Bethany lead to 26-14 with 10:32 to go in the first half.

Jason Carter scored to stop Bethany's run, and after a Bethany bucket, Ty Dean scored four straight points to get the Coyotes back within eight with 8:58 to go. Bethany got another three by Clayton Goggins, one of nine first half long rangers for the Swedes, as they used an 18-7 run to take a 46-27 lead with 3:51 to go.

A three by Brock Borovetz got Wesleyan back within 14, but Bethany closed the final two minutes of the half with a 7-0 run to take a 54-33 lead into the half.

Trey Beachum scored the first four points of the half for Bethany as they extended their lead to 58-33 with 18:24 to go. Bethany again led by 25 with 16:51 left on free throws by Chris Dean, before the Coyotes got a three by Scott Weber and a pair of free throws by Jason Carter to get back within 20 points with 16:11 to go.

Bethany's lead pushed back out to 23 points when Wesleyan made another charge. A bucket by Weber and a three-point play by Brinker got the Coyotes within 18 with 12:08 to go, but the Coyote rally would fade from there.

Four turnovers and four missed shots by the Coyotes allowed Bethany to push its lead back to 24 points with 8:57 to go on a stick back by Beachum that made it 73-49. Wesleyan never got closer than 22 points the rest of the way as the Swedes continued to put room between themselves and the Coyotes. Bethany's lead briefly touched 34 points at 89-55 before a three by Krubiel Workie stopped a 7-0 run by the Swedes.

Dean's free throws with 35.3 seconds left capped the scoring in the game for the Coyotes before Bethany would turn the ball over and the Coyotes would take one last shot before time expired.

Four Wesleyan (2-19, 0-10 KCAC) players did score in double figures as Weber led the way with 12 points, while Brinker added 11 and Carter and Borovetz added ten apiece as the Coyotes shot 22-of-60 for 36.7 percent. Four players had five rebounds each to lead the Coyotes.

Bethany (7-11, 5-5 KCAC) was led by Beachum and Parks with 13 each, while Goggins and Dean added 12 each as the Swedes shot 37-of-78 from the field for 47.4 percent. The Swedes also dished out 23 assists against just 13 turnovers led by Jennings with four.

Wesleyan returns to action on Thursday at Bethel before hosting Tabor College next Saturday at Mabee Arena.