ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Sophomore guard
Payton Thomsen dropped a career-high 39 points as the Bethel University men's basketball team earned an 80-68 win over Gustavus Adolphus Saturday afternoon inside the Robertson Center.
Thomsen's performance came on 13-of-19 shooting including going 4-for-8 behind the arc. At the charity strip he was 9-of-11. The 39 points is the most in a game by a Royal since Feb. 10, 2007 when Tim Madson dropped an identical 39 against Macalester.
Bethel held a 38-31 lead at the break after shooting 55.6 percent in the opening half while holding the Gusties to 37.1 percent from the floor. The Royals built an early 13-4 lead with 14:34 to go until a 16-2 run by the Gusties gave them a 20-15 advantage.
Thomsen tied it up at 24-24 with 5:02 left before scoring BU's final 10 points of the half and having 17 points himself at the break.
Picking up right where he left off Thomsen knocked down three triples in the opening two minutes of the second extending the advantage to 47-37.
Joey Kidder slammed it home with 4:26 remaining giving BU its largest lead of the game at 66-50.
BU put it away at the charity stripe where its final 14 points came through the final four minutes.
Zach Doely put in another double-double effort with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Joey Kidder finished with 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Royals continue their three-game homestand on Wednesday, Feb. 7 hosting St. Scholastica at 7:30 p.m.
