ST. PAUL – The Royals' men's basketball team grabbed its fourth win in five contests Saturday afternoon in its 66-46 defeat over Macalester College. Bethel scored the opening two points and never lost the lead the entire game. BU continued to exhibit exceptional shooting, finishing the game with a field goal average of 44 percent.

Bethel opened the competition with a 17-6 lead throughout the opening nine minutes of the game and continued to stretch its advantage over the next five minutes. At one point the Royals owned its largest lead of the game, cruising over the Scots 28-14. BU finished the opening period with a 14-point lead at the half when owning the 34-20 advantage.

Head Coach Jeff Westlund and his team increased its lead to 22 points five minutes into the second half after improving the total to 46-24. Macalester would fight its way back into the contest, cutting the lead to ten with four minutes to play yet the Royals disbanded the MAC run. In fact, the Royals created its own 12-2 run to end the game in BU's favor 66-46.

The Royals nearly doubled the Scots in the paint Saturday afternoon, outshooting Macalester 32-18. BU also outscored the home team with points created off turnovers, composing a 16-7 advantage. Bethel also received 18 points off its bench.

BU was led by Kyle Zimmerman (So., Champlin, Minn.) Saturday afternoon as Zimmerman finished with an 18-point, eight-rebound, three-block effort. Taylor Hall (Jr., Blaine, Minn.) also played a critical role in the victory with 15 points and seven rebounds.

Bethel is now 4-1 on the year and looks to take on the Auggies of Augsburg College Monday, December 5 in Minneapolis at 7:30 p.m.