ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Snelling Avenue bragging rights were on the line Saturday afternoon and the Bethel University women's basketball team delivered with a dominating 94-50 win over Hamline inside the Robertson Center.

Assisting on 26 of their 40 made field goals, the Royals offense dominated inside holding a 60-18 margin on points in the paint. The Royals took 24 more shot attempts than the Pipers connecting on 55.6 percent of those. Bethel improves to 12-5 on the year and 6-4 in MIAC play. Bethel continues its three-game home stand Wednesday, Jan. 23 against Carleton. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Sophomore forward Makenna Pearson found her stride scoring 14 of her 19 points in the final 20 minutes. Pearson got hot behind the arc knocking down 5-of-7 three pointers while going 7-of-10 from the field.  Senior center Hannah Johnson picked up another double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Haylee Barker chipped in 12 points and five assists while Elizabeth Schwarz scored 11 points and six rebounds off the bench.

Bethel could not ask for a better start than its 22-4 run in the first quarter. The Royals allowed a layup with 8:24 left in the first to trail 4-3 before stringing off 18 straight points while forcing Hamline to a near 10 minute scoring drought.

The Pipers broke that scoring drought in the second quarter, but the Royals still proved to be too much shooting 60 percent to lead 41-19 at the intermission.

The Royals opened up the second half on an 11-0 run before Hamline made a 10-5 run of their own to make it 60-36 with 1:51 left in the third. The hot shooting of Pearson wore on the Hamline defense as her three third quarter 3-pointers made it 73-36.

BU's bench did the work in the fourth producing 14 of the Royals 21 fourth quarter points. The Royals went on to outscore the Piper's bench 30-11.