Johnson scores 27 to lead the Pride over Swedes, 75-62

SALINA, Kan. – Keith Johnson (SR/Dubuque, Iowa) poured in 27 points as the Clarke Pride men's basketball team capitalized on a second-half surge to defeat Bethany College 75-62 on Friday night.

Led by Jordan Lake (SR/Peosta, Iowa), the Pride (1-1) connected on 24 of their 32 free throw attempts. Lake, the Peosta, Iowa, native, made 11 of his 14 attempts from the charity stripe, with eight of them coming in the second half. Johnson also shined from the line, as the senior converted on seven of his eight attempts.

Jacob Fierst (JR/West Allis, Wis.) had 12 points and Chandler Dean (JR/South Jordan, Utah) added nine as the Pride earned its first win of the season.

LeNorris Mincey and Dalton Smyres each scored 15 points for the Swedes (2-1). Solomon Clayton added in 11 points, while Nathan Stewart chipped in with seven.

The Swedes took an early 9-2 lead as the Pride missed four of its first five shots out of the gate. Clarke responded with an 8-0 spurt to bring it within two while Bethany missed two of its three shot attempts, turned the ball over twice and committed five fouls. 

The Pride took its first lead of the game with 8:50 left in the first half after Johnson connected on a pair of free throws to make it 18-17. Stewart's jumper put the Swedes back ahead with 7:28 to play in the first half.

Both teams went back-and-forth before Mincey's jumper at the one-minute mark put the Swedes up 31-28 heading into the half.

The Pride recaptured the lead with 14:53 left after an Anthony Eddy (JR/Byron, Ill.) three-point jumper made it 41-38. From there, the Pride continued to hold the lead throughout the rest of the game en route to the victory. 

The Swedes tried to rally and got the margin down to one (45-44) on a Mincey two-point jump shot with 11:24 left to play but would fall victim to an ensuing 19-3 Clarke run over the next six minutes to put the game out of reach.

Up next, Clarke will play Kansas Wesleyan University on Saturday at 6 p.m. (CT).