ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Despite holding a five-point lead early in the fourth quarter Saturday, the Gustavus women’s basketball team was unable to fend off a Bethel comeback as the home team ensued with a 15-3 run and held on for a 66-64 win. The loss drops the No. 20-ranked Gusties to 12-3 overall and 6-2 in the MIAC, while the Royals improve to 10-4 overall and 5-2 in the league.
After taking a 19-16 lead in the first quarter, both teams struggled to score in the second and the Royals were able to tie the game 28-28 at halftime. The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair with seven lead changes and six ties, but the final lead change of the third frame was in Gustavus’s favor as it gained a 46-45 advantage after 30 minutes of play.
A layup by Mikayla Miller (Sr., Goodhue, Minn.) with 7:38 remaining in the game gave the Gusties a 52-47 lead, but the Royals answered with a 15-3 run over the next 6:42, taking a 62-55 advantage with 56 seconds on the clock. Bethel had an eight-point lead with 11 seconds on the clock until Miller nailed a three-pointer and cut the deficit to five points. After a Gustie timeout, Miller forced a turnover and spotted up for her second-straight trey to make it a two-point game with two seconds on the clock. But the Royals were able to run out the clock, hanging on for the upset victory.
Miranda Rice (Sr., Forest Lake, Minn.) led the Gusties with a double-double, scoring 20 points and hauling in a career-high 17 rebounds – five more than her previous high. Rice now joins the exclusive 1,000-point, 500-rebound club in the Gustavus record book, becoming just the seventh player in program history to reach the two plateaus. Miller and Justine Lee (Jr., Dawson, Minn.) also reached double figures scoring with 16 and 11 points, respectively.
As a team, the Gusties shot 34.4 percent (22-64) from the floor and just 2-of-12 from three-point range. Bethel shot 42.6 percent (23-54) and out-rebounded the Gusties 42-36.
Gustavus remains on the road Wednesday as it travels to Augsburg for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The Gusties defeated the Auggies 78-56 on Dec. 6.