Macalester vs. Bethel stats & play-by-play

Macalester missed 36 of its first 38 shots, but kept itself in the MIAC playoff chase by playing 40 minutes of tenacious defense in a 48-40 come-from-behind victory over Bethel at the College of St. Catherine. When the Scots did make their third basket with 14:13 left in the game, they were only down by six points at 22-16 because the Royals – the MIAC's highest-scoring team - failed to put them away. From that point on, Mac out-scored BU 34-18 as the offense started to come alive.

The young Scots, along with Bethel, are just one game behind sixth-place Hamline for the final berth in the six-team MIAC post-season playoffs. Bethel is eliminated because it can't win any tie-breaking scenarios. 

Macalester plays Hamline on Saturday (Feb. 23) in the regular-season finale and if the Scots win, will be the No. 6 seed by virtue of a tie-breaker advantage over the Pipers. Mac would win the tie-breaker because earlier it beat St. Thomas, which will finish first, second or third. Hamline's top win would be against Carleton, which can't catch UST.

Macalester improves to 9-15 on the season and 8-13 in the MIAC. Bethel is now 11-3 overall, 8-13 in league competition.

MIAC steal leader Eartha Bell (So., Minneapolis, Minn. / Breck) picked up four more steals and helped the Scots enjoy a commanding 24-10 turnover advantage. Trina PaStarr (So., Minneapolis, Minn. / Southwest) and Ann Baltzer (So., Bismarck, N.D.) each scored 15 points, while Alyssa Lunde (So., Rochester, Minn. / Mayo) had eight points and nine rebounds. Bell added seven points.

Annegret Nautsch provided BU with 15 rebounds and seven blocked shots, but was held to just four points. Shari Laugen paced the Royals with 10 points. Bethel led 18-12 at halftime by holding Mac to a seven percent shooting mark.

Mac's regular-season finale is Saturday against Hamline at 5 p.m. at the University of St. Thomas. If the Scots win, they play an MIAC quarter-final game on the road next Monday (Feb. 25) at either Gustavus or St. Thomas.  Macalester is going for its first-ever appearance in the MIAC women's basketball playoffs.

On Saturday night, Macalester's Student-Athlete Advistory Council (SAAC) is once sponsoring its annual “Hoops for Hunger” Night.  Attendees are encouraged to make a donations of canned goods or cash.  Those making a donation will be entered into a halftime drawing for two $50 Target gift cards.  The two drawings will be held at halftime of each game of the doubleheader. All donations will go to Second Harvest food shelf.