ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — The No. 24th-ranked Bethel University basketball team couldn't erase a 14-point halftime deficit, falling in the MIAC championship game to No. 6th-ranked Gustavus 66-53.
The Royals shot 45% from the field including 50% from three.
Anna Garfield led the Royals in scoring with 15 points,
Rosalie Penke was 4-for-6 from the field and 3-for-4 from three putting up 12 points.
Emily Erickson drove the lane for two to tie it up at six in the first quarter. Down 21-12 in the second
Elly Schmitz nailed a three to get the Royals back to within six.
Schmitz later drove the lane for a layup to make it a four-point game, 21-17. The Gusties opened up a 28-17 lead and held a 35-21 advantage at the half.
Schmitz cut the deficit to 10, by drilling a three to open the second half. Penke and
Colette Duininck hit back-to-back threes early in the fourth to make it a 52-45 game.
Penke hit another from beyond the arc to make it a six-point game with 3:45 to play. That would be the Royals' final bucket of the game as the Gusties put it away at the charity stripe where they finished 23-of-30 (76.7%) compared to BU's 12-of-20 (60%).
UP NEXT
With a strong NPI ranking, the Royals are in a good position to receive an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. Final selections will be known Sunday morning, with the pairings show to air Monday at 1:30 p.m. central time on NCAA.com
