Bethel University Athletics

2/19/2018 8:06:00 PM /

Women's Basketball

Playoff Preview: Bethel Hosts Saint Mary's in MIAC Quarterfinals

ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—Bethel University's women's basketball team plays host to Saint Mary's University in the quarterfinal round of the 2018 MIAC Playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 20. The No. 4-seeded Royals (18-7, 13-5 MIAC) swept the No. 5-seeded Cardinals (15-10, 10-8 MIAC) in the regular season series, but both games were excruciatingly close. The first contest resulted in a 70-67 road win for BU on December 9 and the second finished with a score of 80-62 in Arden Hills, but Bethel led 51-49 after the third quarter.

Event info: Tickets for Tuesday's game may be purchased at the door. The price for admission is $7 for adults, $3 for students, and free for kids five and under. Students with a Bethel ID are able to attend for $1. Fans looking for parking are encouraged to park in the East lot. 
 
Playoff prowess: Bethel is making it's fifth consecutive MIAC Playoff appearance and seventh in the last eight seasons, while Saint Mary's is making it's sixth trip to the postseason in the last seven years.
 
Something's gotta give: The Royals are 50-8 (.862) on their home court over the last five years with a perfect 3-0 record in postseason play during that stretch. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are 5-5 in the last five playoff appearances with one win and two games played in each postseason run. The last time a lower seed won a MIAC Playoff game was in 2015 when No. 6 Augsburg defeated No. 3 Concordia.
 
What's ahead: The winner of Tuesday's game will advance to the MIAC semifinal game on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. Their semifinal opponent will be dictated by the other quarterfinal game. If No. 6 St. Catherine University were to upset No. 3 Gustavus Adolphus College, then the winner of this game would then meet the No. 2 seed College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn. If the Gusties defeat the Wildcats, the winner of Bethel vs. Saint Mary's will face No. 1 seed University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. [ MIAC Playoff Schedule ]
 
The matchup: Tuesday's matchup between Saint Mary's and Bethel marks the 40th meeting between these two opponents since the 2000-01 season. SMU owns a 21-18 advantage over the Royals during that stretch, but BU has won eight straight over the Cardinals. Saint Mary's last win over BU was a 94-63 home victory in the 2014 MIAC semifinal game.
 
Seven heaven: Bethel is ranked among the Top 7 NCAA Division III teams in four statistical categories. The Royals are ranked No. 4 in 3-point shooting percentage (40.1), No. 6 in FG percentage (46.4), and No. 7 in blocked shots (155) and blocked shots per game (6.2). Hannah Johnson also ranks No. 5 in total blocks and Taite Anderson No. 9 in FG percentage.
 
SMU sensation: Two-sport athlete Brandi Blattner has willed the Cardinals into the postseason as the junior forward from Eyota, Minn., has composed 11 double-doubles this season. Blattner, who amassed 25 points and 20 rebounds against Macalester on Feb. 10, is averaging 17.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 44.2 percent from the floor.
 
Region rankings: Bethel was ranked No. 6 in the latest West region rankings that were released last Wednesday. The Royals, who were No. 5 prior to their loss at Gustavus, still rank ahead of the Gusties because of their 2-7 record versus regionally-ranked opponents and .570 strength of schedule, opposed to GAC, who is 1-4 with a .533 strength of schedule.