ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Another strong defensive effort from the Bethel University women's basketball team gave the Royals a happy homecoming after a month away from the Robertson Center with a 64-55 conference victory over St. Catherine University.

Extending their winning streak to six games the Royals improve to 10-3 overall and 4-2 in MIAC play. Bethel returns to the hardwood on Wednesday, Jan. 9 hosting Augsburg at 7 p.m.

Senior center Hannah Johnson recorded her MIAC leading seventh double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Junior forward Taite Anderson added 12 points and seven rebounds while sophomore forward Makenna Pearson scored 12. Junior guard Haylee Barker recorded a career-high nine assists to go along with nine points.

Bethel held the edge on the defensive end with 16 steals and forcing 22 turnovers. On the offensive end the Royals turned those 22 turnovers into 17 points while 30 of the 62 scored (46.8 percent) came inside the paint.

A 3-pointer by Barker with 9:11 left in the second quarter gave Bethel the lead as the Royals never looked back from there. Trailing by two after the first, BU went to the inside game scoring 12 of their 19 second quarter points in the paint. A steal that turned into a fast break layup for Bella Williams gave the Royals a 10 point lead before taking a 39-32 margin into the locker room.

Out of the break, St. Catherine put pressure on early with a full court press while also forcing the Royals into foul trouble. The Wildcats chipped away at the Royals 11 point lead getting it within two at 45-43 at the end of the third.

Both teams traded buckets to open up the fourth before Pearson go hot from behind the arc. Nailing a pair of 3-pointers at the 7:31 and 5:48 mark, the Royals took that momentum, fueled by Pearson, the rest of the way to outscore the Wildcats 19-12 in the final quarter.