ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Despite holding an early 13-point lead, the Bethel University men's basketball team couldn't hold off the comeback efforts from North Central falling to the Rams in the season opener, 87-83.
Turnovers proved costly for the Royals with 24 on the game while forcing the Rams into 13. Bethel shot an even 41 percent but struggled from 3-point range where they were 6-of-30 (20.0 percent). NCU finished 45.1 percent from the field and 5-of-17 from 3-point range with all of their long-range makes coming in the second half.
Payton Thomsen led the way with a game-high 27 points and adding 11 rebounds. Nick Bruke chipped in 18 points and seven rebounds while
Caden Boettcher added 10 points.
Emmanuel Schmitter was crashing the boards hard tying a career-high 13 rebounds.
Bethel's lead was as large as nine in the second half after taking a 44-41 advantage into the break. The Rams took the lead for good on a second chance putback with 6:25 left, making it 73-72. The Royals got within three on two occasions before NCU opened the lead to eight with under a minute left on trips to the line.
Payton Thomsen led the charge scoring eight of BU's first 17 points through the opening four minutes that saw BU on top 17-4. NCU responded with a 10-0 run making it a one-possession game before Bruke responded with a three.
BU had built a 44-32 advantage before going on a near three-minute scoring drought where NCU scored nine straight.
The Royals look to bounce back next Tuesday, Nov. 12 traveling up Snelling Ave. to Northwestern for a 7 p.m. tip off.
