MOORHEAD, Minn. – Behind junior guard Granger Kingland, who scored a game-high 25 points, the Bethel University men's basketball team defeated Concordia College Saturday afternoon inside Memorial Auditorium, 64-56.

The Royals used an 11-3 run to open the game before before holding on down the stretch to improve to 8-6 overall and 5-4 in the MIAC. BU returns to the Robertson Center on Wednesday, Jan. 16 for a key MIAC matchup with St. Thomas. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Kingland netted the game-high on 10-of-19 shooting including 4-of-7 from 3-point range. Seniors Derek Magnuson and Tyler Barker both scored eight points apiece while Magnuson grabbed a career- and game-high 14 rebounds.

From the start Bethel handled the ball on the offensive end as they committed a season-low six turnovers in the contest. Jumping out to a hot start from the field, Bethel picked up their largest lead of the game at 24-13 with 7:25 remaining as Granger knocked down the second free throw of a shot foul.  The Cobbers (4-10, 3-6 MIAC) kept it within reach as neither team scored in the final 2:13 of the first following Hudson Urbanus' 3-pointer to send the Royals into the intermission with a 10 point lead.

Concordia chipped away at the BU lead with the long ball to secure its first lead since the opening minutes of the first at 45-43 with 7:26 remaining. The Royals responded back with some 3-point shooting of their own as Kingland knocked down a pair on back-to-back possessions.

BU held on from there taking advantage of the inside game where the held the edge on points in the paint 32-24.