MOORHEAD, Minn.—Bethel University's men's basketball team suffered a gut-wrenching 70-72 setback to Concordia College Wednesday night in Moorhead. The Royals (11-4, 7-3 MIAC), who have now dropped two straight for the first time in nearly a year, received a game-tying 3-pointer from Bridgeport Tusler with 44 seconds remaining in regulation, but the Cobbers (8-7, 5-5 MIAC) dashed BU's hopes with a game-winning layup at the final buzzer.
 
Bethel led Concordia for nearly the first 10 minutes of the second half, but the Cobbers clawed their way back and led by as many as five with 4:41 left on the clock. An 8-3 run for the Royals over the next four minutes, which included Tusler's clutch 3-pointer, knotted play up at 70-70, but despite having a go-ahead look with 15 ticks remaining, BU was never able to pull ahead and Concordia iced the victory with a last-second fast break.
 
The Royals forced the Cobbers into 19 turnovers throughout the game, opposed to their own 14, which led to a sizeable 25-13 advantage in points scored off turnovers. But where the Cobbers succeeded was on the glass—outrebounding BU 43-34, which led to a 12-4 margin in second-chance points.
 
The Royals shot 42.2 percent from the floor, but just 28.6 percent from outside the 3-point line and 66.7 percent from the charity stripe. Concordia, meanwhile, shot 47.6 percent from the floor and 38.1 percent from long range.
 
Tusler led BU with a game-high 18 points on 8-of-18 shooting to go along with four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Freshman guard Jack Jenson recorded 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting and Derek Magnuson posted his third double-double of the year with 10 points and 11 boards.  
 
Bethel's heavy stretch of three games in six days continues Saturday when they take on Hamline University at 3 p.m. The Pipers and Royals are in a three-way tie for second place with the University of St. Thomas, so Saturday's matinee should have plenty of drama.