The men’s basketball team’s postseason expectations were cut short in a 69-73 loss to Bethel University in the conference quarterfinals. The loss marked the third straight time this season that the Pack was defeated by the Wildcats. Head Coach Stacy Hollowell attributed the loss to Bethel’s defense and a rugged start to the game.

“We started out really slowly. We had some passing turnovers that really put us back on our heels. We got out rebounded in the first half, which was kind of a point of emphasis for us. We chipped away in the second half, but we felt like if there was one more minute in the game we could’ve come away with it,” Hollowell said.

The team shot 29% from the field in the game, and also committed 19 turnovers to go with the cold shooting. For Hollowell, it ultimately came down to which team could execute down the stretch.

“You go out there with a game plan and you hope that you execute it. And yesterday we didn’t and they did. They defended us really well. For a long stretch yesterday we were not at our best,” Hollowell said.

The Pack finishes the year with a 14-13 record, eight games better than last season. Although the 2014-15 season has ended, there is much optimism from Coach Hollowell on what next season will bring.

“The guys laid it on the line and gave their best. The positive side is that there is room for improvement. We know how we want to play. We know what kind of student athlete we want to bring  in to get there. I think we have set a precedent of where we want to go. It’s up to us to put it all together and move forward,”Hollowell said.