GOSHEN, Ind. — Dominique Bolden scored a game-high 20 points and matched a season high with nine rebounds while Conner Funkhouser sealed the game with two free throws in the final four seconds as the Goshen College men's basketball team upended 12th-ranked Bethel 76-74 on Saturday afternoon in front of the largest crowd of the season at Gunden Gymnasium.

Christian Grider and Austin Hayden scored 15 points apiece for the Maple Leafs (11-7, 3-3 Crossroads League), who trailed for only 23 seconds in a 40-minute game after Bethel made the opening bucket. But the Maple Leafs scored the next eight points to pull ahead 8-2.

When the Pilots (13-4, 3-3) tied the score at 21 with less than seven minutes left in the first half, Hayden sank two field goals in a four-possession span to extend Goshen's lead to 28-21. The Maple Leafs led 36-25 at the half.

"If you are going to beat Bethel you really have to be mentally tough and weather their runs," said Goshen head coach Neal Young. "They are so good at scoring quick and scoring in bunches. Our guys did a great job of responding every single time Bethel put a quick five or six points up."

The largest lead of the game was 15, which Goshen reached at 55-40 on a Funkhouser three-pointer with 11:31 left in regulation.

But the Pilots slowly closed over the next five minutes, coming within five points on a Clay Yeo bucket with 5:22 left. Both teams scored on their next three possessions before Yeo, the Pilots' leading scorer with 23 points per game entering the contest, was disqualified with five personal fouls at the 3:34 mark with his team trailing 69-62.

"Funkhouser was a man on a mission tonight defensively," Young said. "Clay Yeo is one of the best offensive players in the country, and Conner was just one step ahead of him and frustrating him all night."

Again, the teams traded baskets until a Goshen turnover with 1:40 to play. Gage Ott cleaned up an offensive rebound for a second-chance basket at the 1:30 mark: he missed the ensuing free throw and chance at a three-point play, but stole the basketball to set up a Jordyn Coon bucket that pulled the Pilots within 72-69 at the 1:06 mark.

A three-point try fell unsuccessful for Goshen in the shot clock's waning moments, giving the Pilots the ball with 39 seconds to play and a chance to tie. But a straight-on three from Paul Forman bounced wide to the right and Funkhouser pulled down the rebound: Hayden made one of two shots and the Pilots took possession once more.

With 20 seconds showing on the clock, Caleb Oetjen drained a runner in the lane to pull within 73-71. Another 1-for-2 trip to the line put the Maple Leafs up 74-71 at the 0:11 mark before Trevor Commissaris stole the inbound pass: after two more foul shots, Trey'von Covington drained a three-pointer at the horn, but it would be too little, too late.

Commissaris' steal was his only takeaway of the game. Both teams forced turnovers (Goshen posted 20 and Bethel 18), and the Maple Leafs won with a 54.2 percent clip (26-for-48) shooting from the floor) despite going 15-for-25 (60 percent) at the foul line.

Bethel was held scoreless from beyond the arc in the first half, missing its first six tries: the Pilots finished 29-for-58 (50 percent) from the floor. The visitors also controlled the glass, with a 32-25 rebound advantage that included 12 recollections of their own misses.

Ott scored 18 points, Oetjen 16 and Yeo 13 for the Pilots. Travis Smith had a team-high seven rebounds.

All five Goshen starters were on the floor for at least 30 minutes, averaging 36.2 apiece: Christian Grider played all 40 minutes for the second time this season. Kevin Phillips saw 16 of the 19 bench minutes.

"I'm obviously proud of our guys tonight on so many levels," said Young. "The five guys with 30-plus minutes gave us everything they had. They fought through fatigue, made plays when they were tired, and stayed locked in mentally. What those guys did tonight was awesome."

"But it wasn't just the starters, it was everyone tonight," Young continued. "Kevin Phillips was a different guy tonight than he has been from an aggressiveness standpoint. Carter Boos and Brad Lantz didn't play much but neither one turned it over and both worked their tails off on the defensive end. Our bench was into the game throughout, bringing positive energy. My assistants were locked in and made multiple suggestions. Our fans really gave us a boost."

With the Maple Leaf backcourt down a man—Devin Heath-Granger did not play for the first time this season—Hayden made his first career start in the point guard spot after appearing previously at shooting guard. The freshman turned the ball over once in 38 minutes and went 5-for-10 from the floor.

"For Austin Hayden to play the minutes he played was absolutely huge for us," Young said. "Playing without Devin, we knew they were going to turn up the heat on us, we just didn't know how he would respond. He proved tonight that he can play against anyone and play well."

The Maple Leafs will return to the court Wednesday night to face their closest geographic rival, making a 27-mile sojourn to Winona Lake to face Grace College. Tip-off is tentatively set for 8 p.m. following the 6:00 women's game.