Box Score

WINONA, Minn. – After capturing its first conference victory Wednesday night Bethel University's women's basketball team was looking to make it two-straight Saturday, but a strong second half by Saint Mary's resulted in an 85-53 loss. The Royals (2-11, 1-9 MIAC) trailed 39-19 at the intermission break and could only narrow the gap to 16, before the Cardinals (10-3, 7-3 MIAC) went on a 16-5 run in the middle of the second period to close out BU at the SMU Gym.
 
Bethel played 14 players Saturday—the most players involved in a single game throughout the 2012-13 schedule—but it was Rachel Parupsky (Fr., Arden Hills, Minn.), Sydney Schultz (Fr., Dalton, Minn.), and Hannah Niewald (Fr., Fridley, Minn.) who came up biggest for the Royals. Parupsky finished the matinee with her fourth double-double of the season—tallying 19 points and 12 rebounds on 6-of-12 shooting. Parupsky finished 7-of-11 from the foul line and swatted four SMU shot attempts.
 
Head coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer had solid guard play as well, as Sydney Schultz finished with 13 points, on 4-of-8 shooting, and two assists. Meanwhile Hannah Niewald added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting in fifteen minutes of play off the bench.
 
Saint Mary's stole the show Saturday, though, forcing the Royals to commit 19 turnovers—opposed to the Cardinal's eight—in which SMU scored 28 points off turnovers—opposite Bethel's six points off turnovers. Bethel did have good production from its bench—finishing with 18 points—and in the paint, as the Royals finished with 24 points around the basket.
 
Bethel will have a four-day break before they start the second round of conference play against Concordia Wednesday night at the Robertson Center Gym. Tipoff between the Royals and the Cobbers is scheduled for 5:45 p.m.