ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Held to 40 percent shooting the Bethel University men's basketball team dropped a MIAC clash with Saint Mary's Wednesday evening inside the Robertson Center, 83-67. The loss eliminates the Royals from MIAC Playoff contention as they fall to 9-15 on the year and 7-12 in MIAC play.
The Cardinals shot a 54.2 percent, their third best mark of the year, while knocking down 12 treys. SMU's defense kept the Royals in check behind the arc where they went 9-of-32 (28.1 percent). Bethel held the advantage on the boards by a 35-26 margin.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
• The Cardinals came out on a 7-0 run until the Royals got back-to-back threes from
Josh Hoffman and
Avery Mast.
• SMU held a lead of 10 on three separate occasions with under 10 to go.
• Bethel got it within four with 1:35 until the break as
Tommy Jensen knocked down one of his four threes.
•
Zach Doely beat the horn as
Joey Kidder fed a nice alley-oop pass that Doely laid off the glass sending BU into the break down 40-37.
Second Half
• The Cardinals came out of the break getting their lead back to double digits with a 12-6 run.
• Bethel got it back to single digits for about an almost two-minute stretch as Jensen hit a pair from outside range making it 57-51. But from that point the Cardinals pulled away and BU would get no closer.
• SMU shot 54.8 percent in the second half while Bethel shot 32.4 percent.
KEY PERFORMERS
•
Tommy Jensen's four threes and a pair of free throws led him to a team-high 14 points.
•
Avery Mast and
Payton Thomsen each chipped in 12 points.
•
Zach Doely finished with 10 points and 10 boards while
Josh Hoffman also added 10 points.
•
Joey Kidder dished out seven assists.
UP NEXT
The Royals close out the 2022-23 season Saturday, Feb. 18 hosting Saint John's for Senior Day. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. with the senior day ceremony taking place at 12:45 p.m.
