Box Score  | Video highlights

ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—Needing two more wins to get into the MIAC Playoffs, Bethel's men's basketball team utilized a monstrous second-half effort to pull away from Hamline University Wednesday night to defeat the Pipers 79-59 in the Robertson Center Gym. With the win, the Royals (14-10, 10-9 MIAC) improved to 10-9 in conference play and remain in a two-way tie for sixth place with Saint John's University, who defeated Saint Mary's 77-50.
 
Bethel appeared to have broken the game open late in the first half by jumping out to a 41-31 lead with 2:33 remaining in the first half. But a pair of buckets by Noah Aguirre trimmed the Royals lead to six going into the halftime intermission.
 
At the halfway point, Kyle Zimmerman (Jr., Champlin, Minn.) had gone to the line 11 times, making 10 free throw attempts for 12 points and five rebounds. Meanwhile it was Taylor Hall (Sr., Blaine, Minn.), who added 16 points and six rebounds in the opening 20 minutes to help Bethel jump out to a 41-35 lead at the half.
 
Momentum swung in Bethel's favor early and often throughout the second half, as the Royals began the period on a 14-4 run in the initial seven minutes. BU then tallied a 14-4 run in the next four minutes, which gave the home fans assurance that Saturday's game was going to be meaningful. Scrappy minutes by both teams gave the Pipers the ability to trim the lead down the stretch, but the Royals still finished the game with the 79-59 margin at the final buzzer.
 
Bethel actually struggled from the floor, shooting just 39.7 percent and only 12.5 percent (2-of-16) from beyond the 3-point line. Where the Royals excelled, however, was creating turnovers, as BU forced Hamline into 28 turnovers—leading to a 20-10 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
Three Bethel players finished the night in double figures, including Taylor Hall, Kyle Zimmerman, and Luke Buttenhoff (Jr., Watertown, Minn.). Hall ended the game with 25 points, nine rebounds, six steals, four assists, and three blocks, while Zimmerman tallied his third straight double-double—and seventh overall—with 20 points, 10 rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Buttenhoff ended Wednesday's affair with 10 points and six rebounds.
 
With the Royals and Johnnies tied for sixth place—the final spot in the postseason—Saturday's game will hold a lot of meaning. The tie-breaker begins with head-to-head record, but because SJU and BU split during the season, the tie-breaker goes to the next level—which compares the record against the team's ranked above them. As it stands now, Bethel is 4-6 against Top 5 opponents, while Saint John's is 3-7. Should the Royals win Saturday, they will own the No. 6 seed in the postseason. The only other wrench to add would be if Gustavus loses at Concordia Saturday and the Royals and Johnnies both win, then the three would have a three-way tie—in which Bethel would have the best record head-to-head, so they would be No. 5 and the Johnnies would be No. 6. For all other information about MIAC standings go to www.miac-online.org.
 
Saturday's matinee against Macalester is scheduled to tip-off at 3 p.m. Both the women and the men will honor the seniors for the last regular season game of the 2012-13 schedule.