Box Score
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. -
Bethel scored first in their matchup against nationally ranked St. Thomas, but that was the only lead they managed in this heated contest. Bethel fought hard to extend their five game winning-streak, but the task proved to be too much. The Tommies were able to keep a slight but stable lead throughout the game and finished with 73 points, while the Royals ended with 64.
Despite St. Thomas' relatively steady lead, Bethel battled constantly, never admitting defeat. In the first half, baskets came from all over the floor – nine of the 10 players who stepped on the court contributed points to the scoreboard. Notably,
Tim Madson (Sr., Redwood Falls, Minn.) added 10 points for the Royals, and
Cory Laugen (Sr., Blaine, Minn.) added five more. The half ended with Bethel trailing St. Thomas 35 to 41.
Both teams came out with a fire as the second half started and the Bethel men attempted to chip away St. Thomas' lead. The Royals showed heart, but it wasn't enough, and the Tommies maintained a manageable lead throughout the duration of the game. Madson scored eight more points, bringing his night's total to 18, as did
Tyler Brown (Jr., Chanhassen, Minn.), who rounded out the evening with 12 points.
Mike Moberg (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.) also helped the effort with nine rebounds and six points during the game.
The Royals did defeat the Tommies in one area – free throws. Bethel made nearly 76 percent of their shots from the line, while St. Thomas sank just under 45 percent. The shooting percentages from the floor, however, were quite different. The Tommies made seven of their 17 shots outside the arc, while the Royals made two of 12. In the two-point zone Bethel went 20 for 44 while St. Thomas made 31 of their 53.
Prominent performers for St. Thomas include Tyler Nicolai with 14 points and B.J. Viau with 12. Joe Scott and Alex McCoy also contributed 10 points each.
As a result of this loss, Bethel moves to 9-2 overall and 4-2 in the MIAC. St. Thomas continues to lead an impressively unbeaten season at 11-0 overall and 6-0 in conference. Bethel's next matchup is scheduled to be against St. Olaf at home on Saturday at 3 p.m.
