By STEVE SELL, Sentinel Sports Editor

LINDSBORG -- After a disappointing 10-19 season, Bethany College men's basketball coach Clair Oleen beat the junior college bushes to restock his talent level.

And because of that, the Swedes could beat a lot of teams in the KCAC this year.

Oleen's five juco newcomers combined for 48 points and 29 rebounds, as the Swedes knocked off McPherson College 82-71 Thursday in the KCAC opener for both teams.

Bethany improved to 5-3 and put the other conference schools on notice that being picked in the middle of the pack may have been a mistake.

Oleen said the Swedes' preseason schedule prepared them well for conference play.

"We played a tough non-conference schedule," Oleen said. "We played the Fort Hays' and Newmans and we see things from them defensively and (other) things that we really feel prepared us for getting into conference play."

The Swedes trailed only twice at 3-0 and 5-3, and led 43-38 at the half. After Mac pulled within 43-40 with the first basket of the second half, the Swedes went on 9-1 run that basically decided the game.

"Bethany has a nice team. Clair has brought in some good players," Mac coach Roger Trimmell said. "We just played flat tonight and we were kind of back on our heels. We just didn't have that bounce in our step that we'd had in our previous games. Let's give Bethany credit. They came out with a lot of energy, and really attacked us and took it to us."

Best of the newcomers for Bethany was Trevor Voss, who had 17 points and 18 rebounds. He backed the team-high 19 points by Ronny Mitchell. Sam Jackson, another newcomer, added 13. The Swedes were 31 of 59 from the field and had 15 assists, displaying some nice passing.

Cody Rierson led Mac, which was just 24 of 64 from the field, with 17 points, while Roy McDonald and Brian Hooks added 14.

The Bulldogs saw their four-game winning streak snapped and are now 7-2 overall. They go on the road Saturday to play a very tough Bethel team, with tip time set for 7 p.m.

Bethany goes on the road Saturday to play Ottawa.

Bethany (82) -- Voss 6 5-11 17; Jackson 5 2-2 13; Zuker 0 4-4 4; Melcher 1 0-0 3; Mitchell 8 3-3 19; Karimi 2 2-3 6; Burgess 4 1-2 9; Pera 2 0-0 4; Anderson 2 0-2 5; Bell 1 0-0 2. Totals -- 31 17-27 82. 3-pointers -- Jackson 1, Melcher 1, Anderson 1.

Mac (71) -- Rierson 5 7-10 17; McDonald 4 3-5 14; Hooks 6 2-2 14; Soto 2 0-0 5; Gustafson 2 1-3 5; Cox 1 0-0 3; Carter 0 0-4 0; Nixon 1 2-2 4; Pitts 2 0-0 4; Johnson 1 3-3 5. Totals -- 24 18-29 71. 3-pointers -- McDonald 3, Soto 1, Cox 1.