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Tickets tonight
Because tonight is an MIAC event, all fans will be charged the predetermined ticket prices set by the league. Ticket prices for MIAC events are as follows: $7 for adults, $3 for students.  Tickets will go on sale at 5:30 and doors will open at 6 p.m..

Sunday's best
The winner of tonight's contest will face the winner of the other MIAC semifinal matchup between St. Olaf and Gustavus. The playoff championship game will be on Sunday at 2 p.m., with the winner receiving the MIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III national tournament.

Scouting the Royals
Bethel comes into tonight's contest against St. Thomas with a 14-12 (9-11 MIAC) record, after upsetting No. 3-seed Augsburg College at Si Melby Hall 70-67 Wednesday night. The Royals are participating in their 13th postseason in the last 15 years and their third consecutive. BU's semifinal appearance is its second in the three-year period.

Scouting the Tommies
St. Thomas captured the No. 1 seed in the MIAC Playoffs for the ninth consecutive season with a 21-4 (18-2 MIAC) record this season. The Tommies are seeking their 13th MIAC Playoff title, including their eighth in nine years. Because of the No. 1 seed, UST had a bye and did not play Wednesday evening.

The Matchup
These two opponents have faced off 17 times in the last six seasons. St. Thomas owns the head-to-head advantage in that time span with a 16-1 record, as the Royals stole a buzzer-beater at the brand new Schoenecker Arena in 2012. In the same pe­riod, Bethel has advanced to the MIAC Playoffs four times, yet the Tommies forced Bethel to exit the postseason three of those times. Included in those three playoff matchups was a 69-68 semifinal victory for the UST in 2008, in which the Royals had a seven-point lead with 2:53 left in the game.

Mr. Clutch
Brycen Wojta finished Bethel's upset bid over the Auggies Wednesday evening with a clutch performance, as the freshman guard had a hand in the Royals' final 16 points. Of those 16 points, Wojta scored 11 and set up two teammates from the floor. Wojta buried a pair of free throws with 14.9 seconds remaining to give BU a 3-point lead that was enough to outlast Augsburg. 

In the polls
St. Thomas began the season ranked No. 15 in the D3hoops.com preseason poll and climbed to No. 7 in mid-December. However, following a loss to UW-Steven's Point UST settled in at No. 12. The Tommies have won 135 games in the last five seasons, averaging 27 wins per season, which is the most by any NCAA Division III squad.

Defense determines destiny
Both teams defensive effort tonight will play a vital role in the outcome of who advances to Sunday. The Royals need to hold the Tommies to 65 points or less, as BU is 9-3 on the season when limiting opposing teams to under 65. St. Thomas, meanwhile, has held 22 consecutive opponents to under 70 points. If Bethel can break that barrier, their odds of winning become a lot higher.
 
Tournament team
The Tommies' impressive 2013-14 season is likely to bolster another trip to the NCAA Division III basketball tournament, a place they've been on 14 different occasions—including each of the last eight seasons. UST is 14-4 in the NCAA playoffs since 2008-09, including a 7-0 record at Schoenecker Arena.
 
Steal your thunder
The Royals lead the league in defensive takeaways, as they currently average 8.5 steals per game. Brycen Wojta, Luke Buttenhoff, and Quinn Gorski all average over 1.0 steal per game. Bethel, who ranks fifth in turnovers with 11.1 per game, will need to flip these numbers tonight in order to top the Toms.