ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Junior guard Payton Thomsen dropped a season-best 31 points leading the Bethel University men's basketball team to a 93-85 win over Buena Vista Saturday afternoon inside the Robertson Center.
 
Thomsen finished 8-of-18 from the field, 5-of-12 behind the arc and added 11 assists for a double-double effort. Nick Burke finished with 21 points while Adam Mattes had 15.
 
The Royals trailed for the opening 7:56 that included BVU getting out to a 10-1 lead over the first six minutes. A 3-pointer from Burke with 13:02 left in the half sparked a 14-0 run for the Royals who took back the lead for good at 12-10.
 
With Thomsen dropping 20 in the first 20 minutes and Burke hitting his second three of the game, BU took a 37-25 lead into the break.
 
Bethel's largest lead of the game was 17 which came on a Caden Boettcher put back (51-34) and AJ Kaul trey (54-37). The Beavers got back within eight on a hand full of occasions but the Royals continued to have an answer.
 
BVU used a quick 6-0 run to make it 88-81 with 50 seconds left but a pair of free throws from Emmanuel Schmitter and then a 3-point play from Blake Schmitz on an in-transition bucket with 23 seconds left sealed the victory.
 
The Royals, now 2-1 on the year, travel to Macalester on Thursday, Nov. 21 for a non-conference contest that starts a three-game road trip.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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