Box Score MINNEAPOLIS—The Bethel University men's basketball team was looking for revenge Monday night against Augsburg College, as it was the Auggies (13-8, 8-8 MIAC) that ended the Royals' (14-7, 9-7 MIAC) 15-game home winning streak earlier this season. But despite pushing Augsburg to overtime, BU could not overcome the Auggies in Si Melby Hall and fell by a final score of 68-74.
 
Bethel trailed Augsburg 27-35 at the half, but overcame an eight-point deficit at the half with a 31-23 margin in the second frame. The Royals recorded a 12-1 run beginning at the 18-minute mark that evened the score at 41-41 with 13:32 remaining in the second period. The Auggies then went back ahead by seven with 4:35 on the clock, but Tim Hanson's and-one for BU with 14 seconds remaining knotted the score at 58-58.
 
Augsburg quickly jumped out to a seven-point lead in the opening 2:33 of the five-minute overtime, but the Royals brought it to within three with 38 seconds remaining. The Auggies coerced three trips to the free throw line in the remaining seconds, though, and heightened its advantage to what was the eventual six-point spread.
 
Bethel's bench outscored Augsburg 12-4 and their entire team totaled a 40-34 difference in points scored in the paint. But the Auggies shot 49.1 percent from the floor throughout the entire game, opposed to BU, who finished 28-of-63 (44.4 percent).  The Royals were also limited to just five free throws throughout the entire game, compared to Augsburg, who shot 18.
 
Heading into Monday's matchup in Minneapolis junior guard Brycen Wojta needed 22 points to reach 1,000 career points at Bethel. Unfortunately for Wojta, he finished just two points shy of the milestone mark, as he led the Royals with 20 points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals.
 
Also scoring in double figures was Tim Hanson and Bridgeport Tusler, who each finished with 13 points. Hanson, who was 6-of-7 from the floor, added six boards and two assists, while Tusler, who was 4-of-4 from the free throw line, totaled five rebounds, four steals, and three assists.
 
Now 14-7 on the season and 9-7 against league opponents, Bethel travels to Winona Wednesday night for a midweek matchup with Saint Mary's University. Despite Monday night's result, the Royals are still tied for fifth place with Carleton and are one game ahead of Augsburg.