ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – For the first time since 1994, the No. 11-ranked Bethel University women's basketball team is the regular season MIAC champion.
The Royals defeated second-place and No. 14th-ranked Augsburg 71-55 Wednesday night, shutting down any possibility of a tiebreaker between the two teams with one game left on the MIAC slate. The Royals move to 23-1 overall and 18-1 in conference play.
Taite Anderson and
Makenna Pearson led the way offensively, scoring 25 and 23 points respectively. Anderson grabbed 12 rebounds and Pearson had eight boards. The pair combined to shoot 11-for-13 from the free throw line and 5-for-8 from three-point range.
Haylee Barker added seven rebounds and four assists.
Not only was the Royal offense firing on all cylinders, the defense in the second half played a major role, holding Augsburg to 28.1 percent shooting (16-for-57) and 16.7 percent (4-for-24) from beyond the arc in the game.
Bethel jumped to a 23-15 lead in the second quarter, then went cold as Augsburg took a 31-26 advantage late in the frame. The Royals survived the storm thanks to
Taite Anderson scoring inside and out, and at halftime they led the Auggies 39-34.
A majority of the third quarter was a defensive stalemate, including a three-minute scoreless stretch for both teams after Bethel extended the advantage to 44-38. By the end of the quarter, the score was 57-41 in favor of the Royals. Augsburg pulled within 13 in the final period, but never made it uncomfortable, and the MIAC-leading Royals earned the most important victory of the season 71-55.
Bethel clinches the regular season MIAC title outright and is awarded the top seed in the conference playoffs which includes a first-round bye.
The Royals cap off their MIAC schedule with a Senior Day matchup against St. Benedict Saturday afternoon in the Robertson Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m., following the men's game.
