BOX SCORE
SAINT PAUL – Kellan Dahlquist (Sr., St. Cloud, Minn.) hit a put-back layup with time expiring that gave Bethel University men's basketball team a 69-68 victory on the road over the University of St. Thomas. The Royals, despite all adversity, trailed at the half 33-26 and found a way to compose a 43-35 second half comeback that secured the one-point victory over the 2010 defending Division III NCAA Champion Tommies.
The Royals began the game well as they kept the hosting Tommies in check throughout the majority of the first period. In fact, BU held the seven point advantage when leading 15-8 with 11:48 to play.
Luke Buttenhoff (So., Watertown, Minn.) capped off the 11-2 run with a bucket under the hoop. Bethel held onto its advantage all the way until the four-minute mark when UST slipped into the lead before the half, closing the period on a 25-11 run.
BU composed a near 40 percent mark from the floor in the first half behind
Taylor Hall's (Jr., Blaine, Minn.) seven-point and two-rebound effort. Buttenhoff also contributed six first-half points, alongside Dahlquist's four. The Royals also held the Tommies to 29 percent shooting, while outscoring UST 12-8 inside the paint.
Leading by seven heading into the second frame, St. Thomas quickly lost its lead when Bethel rallied off a 10-1 threat to start the period. The Tommies, however, immediately took the lead back in its possession until the very end. The Tommies lead was never out of reach, however, as the Royals only allowed a seven-point margin. With 4:11 remaining, BU stunned the home crowd with an 8-0 run that put the Royals ahead 65-64 with 1:53 to play. A Bethel foul put UST at the line for two shots with 47 seconds to play, and a missed second free throw left the door open for Bethel to throw a wrench in the conference standings.
Daniel Baah (Sr., Farmington, Minn.) thieved a crucial steal with less than 30 seconds to play and drove down the court attempting to win the game with a last second jumper, but Baah's miss was ripped down by Dalquist, who finished the game with the fall-away put-back layup with time expiring 69-68.
Hall punctured the Tommie defense with 11 second-half points, while
Greg Meyer had an exceptional second-half after coming off a recent injury with 10 points in nine minutes.
As a team Bethel finished the game shooting 48 percent, while holding the Tommies to 38 percent from the floor. Despite being outrebounded and turning the ball over five more times, the Royals still manufactured the underdog win.
Taylor Hall led Bethel with 18 points, six rebounds, and three blocks, while both
Daniel Baah and
Greg Meyer finished with 12 points. BU finished seven-of-14 from downtown Monday night for a 50 percent mark from three-point land. The Royals also did an outstanding job from the charity stripe, converting 14-of-17 free throws.
Bethel will now take a much needed four days off, until it meets Gustavus Saturday at home in the Robertson Center Gym. The Royals anticipate the opportunity to knock off the Gusties, who now stand tied for first in the MIAC due to the Tommie loss. Tip-off Saturday is scheduled for 3 p.m.
