Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. - With more than half the season yet to be played, Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer decided to shake things up a little bit tonight to see if that would help the Royals snap their four-game skid.

Boy, did it ever.

With some new faces in the starting lineup, and a stellar performance from a veteran, Bethel routed the St. Thomas Tommies by a final score of 65-33. The win marks the first time Bethel has defeated St. Thomas since late in the 2005-06 season, and the 33 points by the Tommies is the second lowest score they've posted in the program's 31-year history.

Annegret Nautsch (Sr., Everett, Wash.), who surpassed the 1,000 point mark just five games ago, reached another milestone tonight. The All-MIAC center surpassed Bethel alumnae and former assistant coach Kim Carlson (1992-95) for the all-time school rebounding record. Nautsch needed just 14, but did four better to give her 787 in just 85 career games. Nautsch also scored 20 points to give her seven double-doubles so far this season, and she added to her conference leading block total by swatting another six shots away from the basket. A D3hoops.com preseason All-American third team member, Nautsch currently leads the nation in blocked shots per game. 

It takes an entire team to win a game though, and the Royals had a number of strong performers tonight in addition to Nautsch. Lakita Davis (Sr., Brooklyn Center, Minn.) scored 10 points off the bench, while Autumn Beasley (Fr., Medina, Minn.) scored nine in her first start. Also making the most of her first start was Shana Grejtak (So., Franklin, Minn.), who had six points, nine rebounds, and a team high five assists.

As a team, the Royals made less than 30 percent of their shots from the field, but even so, that figure is significantly better than the Tommies 17.7 shooting percentage. Bethel really made St. Thomas pay at the free throw line as they made 27 of their 30 shots, compared to just eight of 12 for St. Thomas.

The much needed win brings Bethel's record up to 4-6 overall and 3-4 in the MIAC. St. Thomas falls to 7-4 overall and 5-3 in the conference. The Royals will try to keep their momentum when St. Olaf comes to town this Saturday for their next scheduled game, set to tip off at 1 p.m. in the Robertson Center.