Box Score

ST. PETER, Minn. - After leading 2-0 to start the game, the Royals never sniffed a lead the rest of the game, falling to the Gustavus Gusties, 86-52. Wins in the MIAC are tough to come by and today's game evidenced how a game can get away in an instant. 

In the first half, Bethel went scoreless from the 14:43 to 9:31 mark, allowing Gustavus to stretch their lead out to 18 points, putting the Royals in catch-up mode all afternoon. Going into halftime, Bethel trailed 46-24 and looked to put together a few solid spurts in the second.

However, Bethel was unable to find any answers in the second half, trailing by 20 or more for the remainder of the game. It was a tough day on the offensive end for the Royals who shot 29% from the field and 2-11 from the three-point-line. While they had difficulty making jump-shots, Bethel did a great job of getting to the free-throw-line, going 14 for 19, with Nate Robertson (Sr., Forest Lake, Minn.) sinking 9 of 12.

Robertson put together another solid day overall, scoring 17 points and pulling down seven rebounds. Rob Lang (Sr., Johnston, Iowa) shot the best from the field, making 4 of 6 for eight points to go with one rebound and one assist.

Jesse Van Sickle was the Gusties top scorer with 25 points on 10 of 17 shooting, 5-8 from long-distance. As a team, Gustavus had 28 assists to six turnovers, an incredible ratio given the previous match-up between the two teams. The Royals won 54-52, handing the Gusties their first conference loss of the season while Gustavus turned the ball over 14 times.

The loss drops Bethel to 11-12 (7-11) as the Gusties improve to 14-9 (12-6). The Royals play again this Wednesday, at home against Augsburg College, beginning at 7:30 p.m.