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ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Bethel University head men's basketball coach Jeff Westlund reached quite the milestone Saturday following a 74-73 nail-biting victory over Carleton College at the Robertson Center Gym. With the MIAC win, Westlund acquired his 100th victory while coaching the Royals.
 
Westlund, who has been the head coach since the 2006-2007 season, has amassed an overall record of 100-76, with a conference total of 68-66. In the seven years coaching, Bethel has reached the postseason four times and is vying for its fifth postseason run since the 06-07 campaign. In Westlund's first three years, BU made three straight trips to the conference tournament with a total regular season record of 54-26—including a trip to the championship game in 2008-2009.

"You don't get here without having the right people around you," noted Westlund after being congratulated. "We've been surrounded by tremendous athletes and coaches that make this opportunity fun to be a part of every day."
 
Westlund and the Royals are in the playoff hunt this season with a 12-7 record overall, amassing an 8-6 mark against conference opponents and an 8-3 tally at home. With the season's productivity, Bethel is ranked tied for fourth among the MIAC standings with Saint John's, behind Concordia, Augsburg, and St. Thomas. BU is just one game back of third place and two games back of second, with six games remaining on the schedule.
 
The team Bethel is tied with, Saint John's University happens to be its foe Wednesday night. The Royals and the SJU will meet head-to-head in Collegeville, Minn., for the second time of the season, however, Wednesday night's setting will be in Sexton Arena—home of the Johnnies.

In the first meeting between the two teams BU outscored Saint John's 86-59, finishing the game with a 63.3 shooting percentage from the floor—including a 61.5 (8-of-13) mark from the perimeter. Taylor Hall (Sr., Blaine, Minn.) led all scorers with 22 points, while Quinn Gorski (Jr., Batavia, Ill.) tallied 17 and JD Robinson (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.) 15. SJU's leading scorer Seth Marx was held to two points on the night.
 
Things have changed since that night, however, as Saint John's was in the middle of a six-game losing stretch, in which they have now turned around to win six straight. Wednesday's game will also mark the seventh game in the last 10 matchups the Johnnies will have played at home. SJU's schedule is daunting, however, as its next four contests are against the No. 4-1 ranked teams sequentially.