By: Athletic Communications Student Assistant James Bialo '29

BETHANY, W.Va. - The Bethany College women's basketball team defeated La Roche (Pa.) University by a final score of 76-59 in the 2025-26 Home Opener and a non-conference game as graduate All-PAC guard Lindsey Garrison (Triadelphia, W.Va./Wheeling Park) broke the program record for most made three-point field goals on Joe Kurey Memorial Court inside Hummel Fieldhouse. 

Bethany (1-1) earned their first victory of the season on the back of Garrison who cemented her legacy as one of the greatest players in Bison women's basketball program history by becoming the program's all-time leader in three-point field goals made. The first bucket of the game for the Bison was a Garrison triple that tied Nikki Babik's record of 204 career made three-pointers set in 2005. Not even two minutes into the game, she sank her second three and the 205th of her career to sit alone at the top of Bethany's career three-point leaderboard. Garrison added one more for good measure in the Green and White's third quarter surge to come back and beat La Roche (0-2) in front of a packed Hummel Fieldhouse.

Bethany Leaders

• Garrison scored a team-high 15 points, tallied four assists, and notched two steals in her record-breaking night
• Sophomore guard Ella Simpson (Morgantown, W.Va./University) scored 13 on two threes and seven free-throws while adding five rebounds
• Senior Academic All-PAC forward Kaedlee Potter (Barboursville, W.Va./Cabell Midland) finished with a statline of nine points, six rebounds, four assists, one block, and one steal
• Freshman guard and PAC Newcomer of the Week Lindsey Best (Rayland, Ohio/Martins Ferry) grabbed a team-leading seven rebounds and added six points
• Junior Academic All-PAC forward Kate Botti (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) led the team with two blocks and recorded eight points and five boards
• Sophomore guards Amaria Jones (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman) and Shaelyn Anthony (Surprise, Ariz./Shadow Ridge) each scored seven points for the Bison

La Roche Leaders

• Sophomore guard Catharine Kelly scored a game-high 24 points with six rebounds
• Senior guard Nautica Burwell posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds
• Senior guard Jazmine Dunn led the team with three assists and three steals

First Quarter (Bethany 20-19)

• 8:01 - Garrison let it fly behind the arc to make Bethany history  
• 5:37 - Jones's jumpshot assisted by Best to give the Bison a 13-12

Second Quarter (La Roche 30-33)

• 3:09 - Jones makes an unassisted layup
• 1:33 - Anthony makes a layup assisted by Botti

Third Quarter (Bethany 52-47)

• 9:43 - Potter starts the quarter strong with unassisted shot for two
• 6:59 - Best scores a layup assisted by freshman guard Dekotah Barnes (Cleveland, Ohio/Cornerstone Christian Academy)
• 1:48 - Simpson makes a three assisted by Potter

Fourth Quarter (Bethany 76-59)

• 8:29 - Best makes a jumper for two assisted by Garrison
• 3:29 - Potter scores a layup assisted by Garrison
• 0:25 - Barnes scores an unassisted layup to end the game with a final score of 76-59 Bethany

The Bison are back in action on Saturday, November 15 as they travel to Atlanta, Georgia to compete in the Emory Tip Off Classic hosted by Emory (Ga.) University. Bethany opens the Tipoff against Dickinson (Pa.) University at 3 p.m. and will play No. 12 nationally ranked Randolph-Macon (Va.) College on Sunday, November 16 at 1 p.m. at the Woodruff PE Center Arena.