Point Lookout, MO - College of the Ozarks used a balanced offensive attack and a decisive second-half surge to pull away from Bethel (IN) for a 92-80 victory on March 18 at Keeter Gym. The Bobcats outscored the Pilots 47-39 after halftime, with key baskets from Garrett Snyder, Andrew Dalton and Jay Baxter helping turn a tight game into a comfortable double-digit win.

Snyder led all scorers with 33 points, going 12-of-19 from the field and 8-of-11 at the free-throw line while adding six assists, three rebounds and two steals in 37 minutes. Dalton backed him with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range, and was nearly perfect at the line at 7-of-8. Baxter provided a major interior presence, finishing with 14 points, 12 rebounds and three assists while knocking down two 3-pointers.

College of the Ozarks established its offensive rhythm early, shooting 51.7 percent from the field for the game (30-of-58) and 35 percent from beyond the arc (7-of-20). The Bobcats took a 45-38 lead late in the first half when Snyder hit a jumper in the closing seconds, but Bethel’s Colin Comer answered with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to trim the margin to 45-41 at the break. That six-point swing underscored how thin the margin was through the first 20 minutes.

Out of halftime, the Bobcats responded with the kind of run that ultimately decided the contest. DJ Quarles opened the second half with a 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 50-43, and a few minutes later Dalton buried another 3-pointer to make it 60-51. Those perimeter shots helped stretch Bethel’s defense and created more space for Snyder’s drives and Baxter’s work around the basket as the Bobcats steadily built their advantage.

Defensively, College of the Ozarks limited Bethel to 41.5 percent shooting (27-of-65) and just 26.1 percent from 3-point range (6-of-23). While the Pilots held a slight 31-28 edge on the glass and grabbed eight offensive rebounds, the Bobcats forced 12 turnovers and converted efficiently at the other end. A late sequence highlighted that composure: with under four minutes to play and the lead in double digits, Baxter punctuated a key possession with a dunk to make it 81-70, and Snyder later knocked down free throws in the final minute to extend the margin to 92-80 and effectively seal the win.

College of the Ozarks also controlled the game at the foul line, finishing 25-of-30 (83.3 percent) on free throws. Bethel went 20-of-23 (87.0 percent) from the stripe but could not match the Bobcats’ combination of efficiency and volume. College of the Ozarks assisted on 16 of its 30 field goals and turned the ball over just 10 times, sustaining a high level of execution across both halves.

Comer paced Bethel with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and added four rebounds in 30 minutes. Beau Jacquay added 19 points to keep the Pilots within striking distance for most of the night. In the end, however, the Bobcats’ trio of Snyder, Dalton and Baxter, combined with efficient shooting and timely second-half runs, proved too much as College of the Ozarks closed out a 12-point victory at Keeter Gym.

The Bobcats now advance to take on Columbia International in the semifinals at 3:30 PM on Thursday at Keeter Gym.