ST. BONIFACIUS, Minn. – The Bethel University men's basketball team overcame a slow shooting start and erased a 13-point deficit by picking up a 77-71 overtime road victory at Crown College Friday evening.
With 20.3 seconds left in regulation
Avery Mast knocked down a three tying it at 63-63. The Royals got a stop on the other end forcing overtime as a pair of second chance opportunities for the Polars couldn't fall.
The Royals outscored the Polars 14-8 in the extra period. A technical foul for flopping on the Polars let
Tommy Jensen hit the go-ahead free throw with 42 seconds left and the Royals never turned back.
Bethel (3-7) started the night shooting 23.3 percent but bounced back in the final 25 minutes finishing 31.1 percent. From the charity stripe they were 25-of-29 at 86.2 percent.
Crown (7-4) started hot at 41.2 percent before finishing 36 percent from the field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
• Scoring was hard to come by for both teams as the Polars took an 8-2 lead through the opening six minutes.
• A 3-pointer by Mast with 8:44 to go would be BU's only bucket over a four-minute stretch until
Joey Kidder scored his first bucket of the night.
• In that stretch, Crown held its largest lead of the night at 24-11 with 5:21 remaining.
•
Payton Thomsen six points on the night finished out by beating the buzzer with a jumper outside the paint that sent BU into the locker room down 32-25.
Second Half
• Bethel trailed again by double digits at 51-41 with 10:11 left in the second half.
• A 7-0 run was sparked by a three from Solmon Whalen and ended with a three from Mast as the Royals pulled within three.
• Three times in the last five minutes Bethel would get within one until Mast hit the game tying shot from behind the arc.
Overtime
• Bethel won the tip as
Joey Kidder gave BU its first lead of the game at 65-63, but it didn't last long as the Polars responded with a three on the other end.
• There were three lead changes and two ties in OT.
• The Royals closed the game on a 10-0 run holding Crown scoreless for the final 2:28.
• After hitting one of two free throws to make it 75-71, Kidder drew a charge on the defensive end with five seconds left.
• Mast would hit a pair from the charity stripe sealing it with 4.3 seconds on the clock
KEY PERFORMERS
•
Caden Boettcher of the bench poured in a team- and career-high 16 points in 25 minutes of action.
• Kidder picked up his first double-double of the year with 15 points and 10 rebounds to go along with four assists.
• Mast had 15 points and seven boards while
Tommy Jensen rounded out the top scorers with 11.
UP NEXT
The Royals will enjoy the Christmas season with a two-week break from competition. Bethel returns to the hardwood Saturday, December 31 hosting top-10 nationally ranked Wisconsin-La Crosse at 1 p.m. inside the Robertson Center.
