Winona Lake, IN —ÌýFor the first time in 16 years and the eighth time in program history, the ´óÏóÊÓƵ men’s basketball team is once again a National Champion, outlasting the Clinton College Golden Bears 78-72 to claim the 2023 NCCAA National Championship.
To say the Pilots had to overcome some adversity on this championship run would be a wild understatement. Bethel, already playing with a decimated roster, would go into this championship game not knowing if All-AmericanÌýÌýwould return from an injury that kept him out of the second half of Thursday’s semifinal game. And while Lutz did indeed return, the Pilots would go into this title game without their second-leading scorerÌý. With the loss of Aerts, Bethel had just nine players dressed for the game and many unanswered questions about who would step up.Ìý