ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Bethel University women's basketball team opened up a three-game homestand with an 86-68 victory over Saint Mary's University Wednesday night inside the Robertson Center.
In a balanced scoring attack, the Royals secured a spot in the MIAC playoffs while improving to 16-6 on the year and 10-5 in the MIAC. The Royals return to the hardwood Saturday as they welcome Concordia to Arden Hills. Bethel will also celebrate the career of
Hannah Johnson with a pregame Senior Day ceremony. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m.
Taite Anderson caught fire quickly hitting all seven of her first half attempts en route to a game-high 22 points.
Makenna Pearson chipped in 18 points, 12 of which came in the first half.
Hannah Johnson was a rebound shy of the double-double with nine boards to go with 18 points.
Elizabeth Schwarz was effective off the bench with 11 points and four rebounds.
Haylee Barker grabbed nine boards and tallied a season-high 10 rebounds.
With 6:46 left in the first,
Taite Anderson knocked down one of her two 3-pointers in the game to give Bethel a 9-6 lead early. The Royals led by as many as nine before Saint Mary's (12-10, 8-7 MIAC) went on a short 7-2 run. Bethel responded on its final possession of the quarter when
Michaela Craigan found Pearson for a walk in three to make it a 24-19 game after one.
Saint Mary's grabbed the lead back at 32-31 with a layup at 3:11 in the second. Back-to-back layups by
Taite Anderson on the Royals next two possession carried momentum the rest of the way as BU led 44-34 at the break.
Hannah Johnson took over in the third recording 11 of the Royals 20 points. Bethel went to the inside game using the talents of Johnson and Schwarz to outscore the Cardinals in the paint 14-4 for the quarter.
Shots rang near even in the fourth as both teams knocked down six field goals, two of which came behind the arc. The difference came at the charity stripe with the Royals knocking down one more than Saint Mary's.
Taite Anderson's 3-point play with 3:55 left gave Bethel its largest lead of the game at 80-57 as the Royals cruised the rest of the way.
BU held the advantage on the boards by a 37-27 margin while also assisting on 23 of its 32 makes.
