ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – In one of its best defense efforts of the year, the Bethel University women's basketball team earned a 73-29 victory over Saint Mary's Saturday afternoon.
The Royals held its opponent to a season-low 20.8 percent while keeping the MIAC's leading scorer in Brooklyn Paulson to a lone field goal. Bethel forced a season-high 34 turnovers turing that into 30 points on the other end.
Hayden Glander led the squad with 16 points in 17 minutes of action. Right behind her was
Courtney Nuest chipped in 11 points and six board while
Kendal Cox added 11 points off the bench.
Despite a slow offensive start the Royals only trailed by three at the first break having only shot 18 percent. BU opened up the second with five straight taking the lead before SMU pulled within one.
Over the next 5:33 Bethel went on a 12-0 run getting it down inside the lane. BU allowed a single field goal and one free throw in the second taking a 28-16 lead into the locker room.
The big-time defensive effort continued into the third where BU held the Cardinals to single-digits again. Bethel used a 14-0 run to push its lead to 20-plus.
BU's bench did a majority of the work in the fourth combining for 15 of the Royals' 26 points.
Closing out the homestand with three straight wins, Bethel hits the road Monday traveling to Concordia for a 5:45 tip off.
