ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Macalester College men's basketball team battled first-place Bethel University on the road, only to fall, 85-79 in a MIAC game Saturday afternoon at the Robertson Center Gym. The loss drops the Scots to 6-12 overall and 2-11 in league play, while the Royals improve to 14-4, 10-3 MIAC.

The game was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than six points for the majority of the contest. In the first half, Macalester erased a six-point deficit by reeling off a 19-7 run to take a 35-29 advantage with 3:34 on the clock. Senior guard Dylan Kilgour (La Crescenta, Calif./Crescenta Valley), junior guard Gunnar Goeden (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North) and sophomore guard Carl Salvino (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt) each hit three-pointers in the run. The lead was 37-31 when Bethel used a 9-2 run to close out the half and take a 40-39 edge at the break. Both teams shot 53.3 percent (16-of-30) from the field in the half, with Macalester making 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.

The Royals were able to extend their lead to as many as six points before the Scots received threes from Kilgour and sophomore guard Michael Gutierrez (Stillwater, Minn./St. Croix Prep Academy) in a 10-4 run that tied the score at 57-57 with 11:13 to play. Macalester came back from another six-point Bethel lead with a 10-2 spree capped by a three from Kilgour that put the Scots on top, 67-65 with 5:46 remaining.

The game was still tied, 69-69 with 3:34 left when Macalester went scoreless in five consecutive possessions. Bethel took advantage, tallying 12 straight points in that span to take the largest lead of the game, 81-69 with 1:10 remaining. The Scots were able to cut the lead down to four following a three from sophomore forward Wyatt Ferm (Farmington, Minn./Farmington) with 13 seconds left. But the Royals held on to earn the win and remain in a first-place tie with St. Thomas. Macalester ended up making 10 threes, but Bethel held the advantage at the free throw line, shooting 18-of-24 compared to 9-of-14 for the Scots.

Gutierrez finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Senior center Kareem Ismail (Pasadena, Calif./Flintridge Prep) tallied 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the floor. He also had six boards, three assists and two blocks. Kilgour added 13 points, while Ferm grabbed a team-leading 10 rebounds to go with nine points, three assists and two blocks. Brycen Wojta paced Bethel with 22 points.

Macalester travels to face Saint Mary's University on Monday, Jan. 30. The MIAC game begins at 7:00 p.m. in Winona, Minn.