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WINONA, Minn. — For the second game in a row, the Saint Mary's University women's basketball team found themselves staring at a 20-plus point halftime deficit Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunately, for the second game in a row, the Cardinals' second-half rally ran out of time, as Bethel held on down the stretch in handing SMU a 68-60 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at the SMU Gym.

The Cardinals, who trailed Concordia by 20 — only to fall to points short in a 63-61 decision Wednesday in Moorhead, Minn. — once again struggled to get their offense on track in the game's opening 20 minutes, heading into the locker room at the break down by 21, 42-21.

SMU may have down to the Royals at halftime, but the Cardinals were far from out, opening the second half on a 24-9 run to close the Royals' lead to six, 51-45, with 9:04 remaining in regulation.

The Cardinals would equal that six-point deficit twice more over the final nine minutes, but each time SMU threatened, the league-leading Royals answered in handing Saint Mary's their third conference loss in five contests.

Sara Schoenthaler (Hugo, Minn.), Jessica Thone (Woodbury, Minn.) and Jamie Stefely (Lisle, Ill.) all finished with 12 points to lead the Cardinals, who shot 42 percent from the field (22-for-52) — including five 3-pointers — while going 11-for-14 from the line.

Taylor Sheley netted a game-high 19 points for the Royals, who improved to a league-best 5-0 in conference and 7-1 overall.

SMU (2-3 MIAC, 2-4 overall) steps out of conference play on Wednesday, hosting UW-La Crosse in a 5:30 p.m. nonconference contest at the SMU Gym.