WINONA, Minn.—Bethel University's men's basketball team showed no mercy Wednesday night, as BU unleashed its offense in a 101-69 victory over Saint Mary's University. The Royals (16-6, 12-5 MIAC) outrebounded the Cardinals (6-15, 4-13 MIAC) 38-21 and shot an impressive 62.1 percent from the floor en route to a 32-point margin.
 
Derek Magnuson played a huge role in Bethel's success, as the 6-7 sophomore finished Wednesday's contest with 26 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. The St. Paul native had 20 at the half on 9-of-13 shooting. Magnuson was a key factor in BU's 44-6 scoring advantage inside the paint. The Royals' rebounding difference also resulted in a 16-9 margin for second-chance points.
 
Just looking at the final score, you wouldn't assume that two points separated the teams after the opening 12 minutes. But it wasn't until the 7:51 mark in the first half that Bethel separated itself from the hosting Cardinals. Leading 30-28, BU went on a 23-6 run going into the half that gave the Royals a 53-34 lead at the break.  
 
Bethel kept a comfortable 20-point lead until the 12-minute mark of the second half, when BU went on an 8-0 run that pushed the margin to 30 points with 10:43 left on the clock. The Royals held a 30-plus point advantage throughout the remainder of the game.
 
In addition to Magnuson's monster night, freshman Granger Kingland contributed 19 points, two rebounds, and two assists. His 19 points is the second-highest single game total of his early career. Also scoring in double figures was Brycen Wojta and Trevor Hall, who each put up 13 points. Wojta added three assists, two boards, and two steals to his stat line, while Hall contributed six rebounds and six assists.
 
As a team, BU finished with just four turnovers throughout the entire 40 minutes of play, opposed to SMU, who suffered 13 turnovers. Moreover, Bethel tallied 22 assists, compared to Saint Mary's, who recorded 15.
 
The Royals' final regular season road game takes place Saturday in Minneapolis, where BU faces Augsburg College at 3 p.m. following the women's duel. Bethel then plays Gustavus on Monday and Concordia on Wednesday—both at home.