Box Score

NORTHFIELD, Minn.—Held to one of its lowest shooting percentages of the season, Bethel University's men's basketball team surrendered a 45-78 defeat to St. Olaf College in Northfield Monday night. The Royals (9-6, 5-5 MIAC) mustered just 25 points in the first frame, followed by 20 in the second, as the Oles (11-4, 8-2 MIAC) not only held BU to 38.5 percent shooting, but shot 56.3 percent themselves—including 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.
 
Bethel was held to 16 rebounds, three below their total foul mark. Another rarity for the Royals was committing 19 turnovers, while forcing St. Olaf into 11. BU garnered just 12 points in the paint, seven points off turnovers, and four second-chance points. Altogether, it was numbers Bethel hadn't been held to all season long.
 
Sophomore guard Aden Casey was a diamond in the rough for Bethel Monday, as he came off the bench to score 16 points—a career high—on 6-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-5 from long range. Casey swiped two steals, as did Luke Buttenhoff and Brycen Wojta. Buttenhoff was second on the team in scoring with eight points, while Jordan Van Eps and Tyler Schmidt added seven and six points, respectively. Brycen Wojta was held to a career low—three points—after scoring 20 or more points in his last four games.
 
The Royals have now dropped their last three games and have fallen to 5-5 in conference play, after resting in a tie for second place at 5-2 just over one week ago. Bethel will look to start a new streak Wednesday night, when they welcome Saint Mary's University to the Robertson Center Gym. The MIAC matchup is set to tipoff at 7:30 p.m.