STARTING FIVE
1)Â Â Bethel University men's basketball team kicks off a full week of action hosting St. Thomas in non-conference action. The busy week comes after Saturday's postponement against Saint Mary's due to COVID-19 testing protocols in what was scheduled to be the conference opener. BU rounds out the week with MIAC contests against Gustavus at home on Wednesday and on the road at Hamline on Saturday.
2)Â Â Senior
Isaiah Carver-Bagley picked up right where he left off scoring a game-high 16 points last Saturday against Hamline. Carver-Bagley kept Bethel in it early scoring BU's first 11 points while hitting four of BU's six 3-pointers. Carver-Bagley averaged 14.0 points per game last season shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 41 percent from behind the arc.
3)Â Â Freshman
Joey Kidder put in quality minutes during his Bethel debut. In 38 minutes of action the New Richmond, Wis. native grabbed nine boards and five points. Kidder became the first freshman since Derek Magnuson (2015-16) to start in their collegiate debut for the Royals.
4)Â Â Bethel looks to carry over its "road warrior" mentality from last season where they went 10-3. The Royals won their first 10 games on the road before falling to No. 4-ranked Saint John's in Collegeville. In the last four seasons, BU has gone 37-15 in true road games.Â
5)  Saturday will be the 100th all-time meeting between the two MIAC foes. After today the two teams are set to meet in the season finale on March 6 in what will be the Tommies last men's basketball contest as a Division III institution. The Royals are looking so snap a five-game losing skid to UST who have won the last two games by a combined six-point margin.
» Complete Bethel men's basketball game notes
Â
