Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Bethel University's men's basketball team picked up a critical triumph today at Hutton Arena, defeating Hamline University on the road 75-68. The Royals (13-9, 9-8 MIAC) used 50 percent shooting and a balanced offensive attack to top the Pipers (8-13, 5-11 MIAC), who fell to ninth in the conference standings. Bethel, meanwhile, sits in sixth place and is a game and a half ahead of Carleton College.
 
The Royals jumped out to a 34-27 lead in the first half and evened the Pipers in the second half with 41 points each to keep hold of the road victory. With eight minutes left in the opening frame, Bethel went on a 7-0 run after being tied, which gave BU a lead they would never relinquish. 
 
Four players on the Royals squad scored in double figures Saturday's matinee. Included in the four were Luke Buttenhoff, Brycen Wojta, Christian Skinner, and Jackson Canfield. Buttenhoff and Wojta each scored 15 each, while Buttenhoff grabbed seven boards and Wojta dished out four assists and swiped three steals. Skinner and Canfield both finished with 12 points as well, with Canfield hauling down seven rebounds.
 
As a team Bethel shot 28-of-56 (50 percent) from the floor and 5-of-16 (31.3 percent) from downtown. The Royals turned the ball over just seven times, while the Pipers coughed the rock up in 14 occurrences. BU also converted 14-of-17 shots from the free throw line.
 
Hamline's Dior Ford scored a game-high 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting.
 
Bethel squares off against Gustavus Adolphus on Wednesday evening at the Robertson Center. The Royals topped the Gusties, who are in third place overall, in St. Peter earlier this year and looks to sweep the series with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.