ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The Bethel University women's basketball team saw its season come to a close Tuesday evening following a loss in the MIAC Playoff quarterfinals. The four seed Saint Benedict Bennies were too much for the fifth seeded Royals to handle as BU fell on the road 73-55.
Bethel ends its season with 13-13 overall record and was 12-10 in MIAC play.
As a team, BU shot 45.5 percent while Saint Benedict had its second-best shooting night of the season at 52.8 percent. The Bennies also out rebounded the Royals for the second straight game, this time by a 32-22 margin.
Turnovers hurt the Royals down the stretch as CSB turned BU's 23 turnovers into 24 points. CSB turned it over 16 times.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
• A layup from
Olivia Williams and a three from
Courtney Nuest helped BU race out to a 5-0 lead in the opening minute.
• There would be four ties in the first while BU was held to a lone field goal in the final 2:30 of the first where they trailed 17-13.
• BU was stuck on 19 for about a 4:20 stretch as the Bennies went on a 7-0 run to make their lead double digits.
• The Royals defense held CSB to one field goal through the final 2:30 of the half while Nuest got a steal and a layup that sent BU into the break down 35-25.
Second Half
• Saint Ben's had a lead as large as 17 in the third, but then Nuest took over scoring five straight while the scoring run ended with a layup from
Anna Garfield that got BU within 44-34.
• The teams traded buckets as
Kendal Cox beat the horn as the Royals trailed 54-41 in a heavy weight offensive battle.
•
Autumn Earney knocked down a three with 5:45 to go in the game making it 57-47, but BU would get no closer.
• The Bennies capitalized on late turnovers and empty possessions by Bethel ending on a 16-8 run.
KEY PERFORMERS
•
Courtney Nuest poured in a team-high 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting.
•
Anna Garfield added 12 points and nine rebounds while dishing out three assists.
