ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Robertson Center played host to its third MIAC title game in four years Saturday, and in a gritty, physical contest, the top-seeded and No. 9 ranked Bethel University women's basketball team prevailed against rival and second-seeded Augsburg for the third time this year 72-70. The win clinches an automatic NCAA Tournament spot for the Royals, who are now 26-1 on the season.
Elizabeth Schwarz led the way with 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench, and freshman Kat Brown-Erdal was 7-of-12 from the field for 15 points. The Royals overcame a tough day at the free throw line (20-for-33, 60.6 percent) and 18 turnovers and trailing by as many as eight points.
From the tip, aggression and physicality took center stage. The 16th-ranked Auggies led 18-12 at the end of the first quarter. Brown-Erdal scored seven of the Royals' first eight points.
Foul trouble unraveled for both sides in the second half, with Taite Anderson and Makenna Pearson sitting long terms with two fouls each. Down 29-21 late in the half, the Royals stormed back on a 10-2 run to tie the game at 31 heading into the break, despite a ten-point gap in free throw makes (Augsburg's 14 to Bethel's four.)
A three minute, forty-second scoreless stretch in the middle of the third while trailing by five made things look a little bleak for the home team, but in similar fashion to the previous quarter, a 6-0 burst to finish the frame capped by a Schwarz layup tied the contest at 48 with momentum swinging Bethel's way.
One quarter away from their first MIAC playoff championship in program history, the Royals kept the lead for the final nine minutes with a timely uptick in free throw percentage led by Schwarz and Haylee Barker. Augsburg ran into an excess of fouls themselves in the last few minutes which allowed Bethel to hold on for a 72-70 victory.
Bethel shot 41 percent from the field (25-for-61) from the field while the Auggies were 46.9 percent (23-for-49). Bethel snagged 14 offensive rebounds and capitalized for 14 second chance points.
The Royals now await their seeding in the NCAA Division III Tournament on Monday, and all signs point to a weekend of national playoffs being hosted in the Robertson Center. Stay tuned to BethelRoyals.com for more information. Fans can watch Monday's NCAA Selection show at 1:30 p.m. CST by clicking here.
