ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – After Saint Mary's took its first lead of the game with 5.1 seconds,
Kendal Cox knocked down a pair of late free throws giving the Bethel University women's basketball team a 60-59 victory inside the Robertson Center.
The Cardinals erased Bethel's 15-point second-quarter lead tying it with 1:49 left in the game with a pair of makes at the charity stripe. A neck-and-neck battle continued as one of the MIAC's top scorers in Brooklyn Paulson hit a three giving Saint Mary's its first lead of the night at 59-58.
Using a timeout to advance it up court, Cox got the inbound pass and was fouled on a drive to the lane. Her two makes at the charity stripe helped the Royals finish 21-of-28 (75 percent) from the line, their second-best free throw shooting game of the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
• The Royals opened the game hot behind the arc hitting three of their four attempts as they garnered an 11-4 lead with 3:25 left in the opening quarter.
• Free throws the rest of the way helped BU build an 18-11 lead after one.
• Bethel's defense kept SMU off the board for nearly the first four minutes of the second quarter as the lead grew to 26-11.
•
Autumn Earney knocked down the second of her three first-half threes giving BU its largest lead of the game at 26-11.
• Limiting the Cardinals to five makes, on seven shots, and forcing 11 turnovers the Royals took a 36-27 lead into the break.
Second Half
• Bethel was held to a pair of field goal makes in the third quarter, both of which came behind the arc.
Anna Garfield knocked one down early in the period while Earney knocked down her fourth with 1:15 left in the quarter.
• The Royals built a 52-39 after three quarters by getting to the free throw line where they were 10-of-14 for the 10-minute stretch.
• Saint Mary's began its comeback efforts with a 14-4 run through the first five minutes of the fourth.
• Free throws for SMU cut it to two before eventually tying it with 1:39 left.
KEY PERFORMERS
•
Courtney Nuest led all BU scorers with 17 points and added 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. She also added six steals.
• Off the bench,
Autumn Earney added a career-high 14 points shooting 4-of-7 from three.
•
Kendal Cox finished with eight points while
Olivia Williams added seven boards.
UP NEXT
Improving to 8-5 on the year and 8-2 in the MIAC, the Royals start a three-game road stretch at Saint Benedict Saturday, Jan. 14 with a 3 p.m. tip off.
