ST. PETER, Minn. – He just keeps getting better and better. Junior guard Joey Kidder dropped a career-high 26 points as the Bethel University men's basketball team couldn't overpower Gustavus Adolphus in overtime, 96-92.
 
Bethel finished 49.2 percent from the field compared to Gustavus' 50 percent. The Royals knocked down 10 treys shooting 38.5 percent behind the arc. Down in the paint GAC led the points advantage by a 66-44 margin.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
• Bethel came out of the gates shooting as Payton Thomsen knocked down the Royals first three of the night making it 12-6 thre and a half minutes in.
• The Royals went without a field goal for a five-minute stretch as GAC tied it up on three more occasions.
• The Gusties took the lead with under six to go hold a lead as large as 10.
• Back-to-back buckets from Zach Doley sent BU into the break trailing 39-33
 
Second Half
• Neither team held a lead bigger than five in a second half that featured six lead changes and three ties.
• The Royals largest lead of the half came at the 13:48 mark when Sam Zilmer knocked down a three making it 57-52.
• With 38 seconds left, Kidder hit the back end of a two-shot foul making it 79-77. On the other end GAC missed the front in of a 1-and-1 and Thomsen grabbing the rebound.
• Kidder driving to the lane drew a foul going to the line where he hit both tying it at 79-79. GAC almost had a wide-open layup but the attempt came up short as time expired.
 
Overtime
• A few early turnovers and empty possessions by Bethel got them down 93-86 with 1:26 to go.
• With 28 seconds left Kidder completed a three-point play drawing BU within 93-90. A trade off of buckets by both teams and the margin went back to three.
• With seven seconds left the Gusties hit one of three free throws making it a two-possession game and out of reach for the Royals.
 
KEY PERFORMERS
• Joey Kidder's career-high night came on 7-of-13 shooting with 15 of his 26 coming in the second half. He finished with nine rebounds and six assists.
• Zach Doely finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.
• Off the bench, Sam Zilmer added 14 points including four makes from three-point range.  
 
UP NEXT
Bethel closes out the three-game road trip Saturday, Jan. 28 at Concordia with a 1 p.m. tip.

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