The Central Methodist University men’s basketball team split its weekend series in Kansas, falling to Bethel College 76-71 on Friday before rebounding with a solid win over Kansas Wesleyan 82-70 on Saturday.

In Friday’s matchup, the Eagles built an eight-point halftime lead but couldn’t hang on down the stretch, falling 76-71 to Bethel. CMU led 36-28 at the break, but the Threshers surged ahead behind a 48-point second half, capped by late free throws and a key 3-pointer.

Raphael Gay paced the Eagles with 18 points, while guard Tommie Williams added 12 points and four assists. Kevin James and Isaiah Reams each scored 10, and Davion Guity contributed 13 points off the bench, hitting three from beyond the arc. CMU shot 41.3 percent from the field and 15-for-28 from the line, while Bethel held a 40-27 edge on the boards and went 28-for-37 from the free-throw stripe. Bethel’s Carmelo Yakubu led all scorers with 25 points.

Central Methodist bounced back with an 82-70 victory over Kansas Wesleyan on Saturday. Reams poured in a game-high 29 points on 9-of-17 shooting and sank 10-of-12 from the foul line. Gay followed with 25 points, while Williams recorded a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, and two blocks.

The Eagles led 39-30 at halftime and maintained control for the remainder of the game, shooting 50.8 percent from the field and converting 18 of 25 free throws. CMU forced 15 turnovers, scoring 23 points off KWU mistakes, and held a 40-32 advantage in points in the paint.

With the win, Central Methodist improved to 3-1 on the season. The Eagles are scheduled to open their home slate on Thursday against area rival Columbia College at 7:30 p.m. to open a four-game home stand.