Box Score

LOS ANGELES - While many Minnesotans are complaining about the cold weather and laughing off the phenomenon of global warming, the Bethel University women's basketball team is out west in California playing in the 2008 Tiger-Panther Classic, hosted by Occidental College. Tonight, they faced co-hosts, the Chapman University Panthers, and were defeated 58-45.

Bethel led by as many as seven points in the first half thanks to strong shooting and tenacious defense. However, the Royals saw their lead disappear in the last minute and a half when the Panthers' Lauren Kamiyama scored 10 consecutive points on three 3-pointers and a foul-shot to finish off a four point play, giving Chapman a 34-29 lead heading into the locker room at the break. Unfortunately, the Royals never quite regained their shooting touch from the first half and managed, thus allowing the Panthers to build momentum and win the game.
 
Each team grabbed 42 rebounds in the game, but a contributing factor to Chapman's victory was their ability to pull down offensive rebounds by a 2 to 1 ratio. Annegret Nautsch (Sr., Everett, Wash.) led all players with 13 rebounds while adding five blocks. The Royals finished with 10 blocks as a team with Autumn Beasley (Fr., Medina, Minn.)  and Taylor Sheley (Fr., Backus, Minn.) each blocking two shots.
 
Beasley was Bethel's top scorer with 16 points off the bench, draining both her three pointers and all six of her free throws in addition to two other field goals. 
 
Chapman, who shot just 27.5% from the field as a team, had two players finish in double figures scoring behind Kamiyama's 15 and Andrijana Kerkez who finished with 10.

Bethel is now 3-3 overall, while Chapman improves to 8-6. The Royals are scheduled to take on Occidental College tomorrow evening beginning at 7 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time.