ST. PAUL, Minn. – Junior center Kareem Ismail (Pasadena, Calif./Flintridge Prep) scored 22 points as the Macalester College men's basketball team lost to Bethel University, 83-62 in a MIAC game Saturday afternoon in the Leonard Center. The Scots fall to 3-18 overall and 1-15 in league play, while the Royals are now 14-6, 9-6 MIAC.

Bethel took control of the game in the first half with an 8-0 run that made the score 34-21 with 4:50 left in the half. Four points apiece from first years Michael Gutierrez (Stillwater, Minn./St. Croix Prep Academy) and Wyatt Ferm (Farmington, Minn./Farmington) sparked a 10-0 Scots' run that brought Macalester to within three, 34-31. But the Royals tallied the final five points of the half to take a 39-31 advantage into the break.

The Scots started the second half well, getting a pair of threes from Ferm and a basket by Ismail to cut the deficit to two, 41-39 with 17:21 on the clock. Again the Royals answered, reeling off a 12-2 run that pushed the lead up to 53-41. Macalester came within nine points twice, but Bethel stayed in control, never letting the Scots within nine points after the eight-minute mark. The Royals took advantage of going to the free throw line 20 times compared to seven for Macalester, hitting 18-of-20.

Ismail was 10-of-19 from the floor en route to a game-high 22 points to go with five rebounds and two assists. Ferm finished with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, while Gutierrez had seven points, four rebounds, three steals and a block. Bridgeport Tusler led the Royals with 21 points.

Before the game, the team honored senior guard Kyle Bernhard (Sleepy Hollow, Ill./Dundee-Crown), senior forward Griffin Glatt (Summitt, N.J./Newark Academy) and senior manager Trey Muraoka (Honolulu, Hawaii) and their parents as a part of Macalester's Senior Day.

Macalester faces St. Olaf on the road Monday, Feb. 8, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Northfield, Minn.