DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Bethel University women's basketball team opened up a two-game road trip to Florida with a 68-45 win over Amherst Saturday afternoon in Daytona Beach. The Royals outscored the Mammoths 43-23 in the second half while holding them to a season-low 27.9 shooting percentage.
 
BU on its end of the floor shot a season-best 43.1 percent despite going 2-of-10 behind the arc. They forced Amherst into 18 turnovers while collecting 13 steals, Colette Duininck had a career-high seven takeaways.
 
Elly Schmitz had her third double-double of the year with a season-best 22 points while matching a career-high 12 boards. Emily Erickson finished with 13 points and five boards. Anna Garfield had seven rebounds while finishing with eight points.
 
The Royals fell behind 6-2 early before Schmitz scored seven of Bethel's next nine, giving them an 11-6 advantage. BU built on its 14-10 first-quarter lead with a 6-0 run to open the second. Emily Erickson off the bench provided seven second-quarter points helping BU hold a 25-22 halftime lead.
 
A 3-point play by Schmitz with 5:46 left in the third gave BU its first double-digit lead at 37-27. Amherst brought it down to a single-digit lead a few times before Garfield got her only bucket of the night with just under a minute in the third making it 47-38.
 
Opening the fourth on a 7-0 run, BU ran away with it, outscoring the Mammoths 21-7 in the final 10 minutes. Through the final six minutes of the game, Bethel's defense held the Amherst scoring to a free throw and a jumper, which came with 1:25 left.
 
Now 7-1 on the year, BU gets its first-ranked opponent of the season when they take on No. 4 Scranton Sunday afternoon in the Sunshine State. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m. central, noon eastern.
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