NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Bethel University women's basketball team ran into a hot shooting St. Olaf squad falling on the road Saturday, 76-65.
 
St. Olaf (12-11, 9-11 MIAC) shot a season-best 57.1 percent and held Bethel (12-11, 12-8 MIAC) to a 41.4 percent mark. Bethel was outrebounded 36-22 but took care of the ball with 12 turnovers. They forced STO into 20 turnovers, turning that into 25 points on the other side.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
• St. Olaf opened the game on a 9-1 run until Autumn Earney knocked down her first three of the game.
• The Oles lead reached 10 until BU responded with a 10-0 run over a 3:42 stretch knotting it up at 14-14.
• Earney dialed in again from long distance to open the second quarter giving BU its first lead of the day at 17-16.
• A layup from Anna Garfield on the Royals final possession sent them into the locker room tied at 30 each.
 
Second Half
• The third quarter saw five lead changes and four ties with neither team having a run bigger than five straight.
• Buckets from Williams early and Hagstrom with 3:17 to go gave BU its leads in the third. Back-to-back layups though from St. Olaf put BU down 48-44 heading into the final 10 minutes.
• The fourth provided plenty of scoring. A three ball from Anna Garfield with 8:00 left go BU within 52-50, but they would get no closer than that the rest of the way as STO finished it at the free throw line.
 
KEY PERFORMERS
• Off the bench, Autumn Earney knocked down three treys finishing with a team-high 13 points
• Colette Duininck finished with 12 points going 5-of-6 from the field and hitting both of her three-point attempts.
• Courtney Nuest finished with 11 points while Anna Garfield chipped in 10.
 
UP NEXT
The Royals, who already clinched a MIAC Playoff spot, continues the fight for a home quarterfinal game. They travel to Saint Mary's on Wednesday, Feb. 15 for a 7 p.m. tip.