Box Score  | GameDay Preview

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team got double-figure scoring from Michael Burfeind (Lewiston, Minn. and Evan Pederson (Onalaska, Wis.), but Bethel used some timely runs to hold off the Cardinals, handing SMU a 60-46 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback Monday evening at Robertson Center.

The Cardinals had things going their way early against the Royals, as SMU scored the game's first four points and held an 11-7 advantage six minutes into the opening half.

That's when the Royals' offense shifted into high gear. A 12-2 burst gave Bethel a 19-13 advantage midway through the opening half — and the Royals followed that up with an eight-minute, 10-0 run to push their lead to 29-13 with 2:32 to play.

The Royals would equal that 16-point first-half advantage at 31-15 with just over one minute remaining, before SMU whittled the lead down to 11, 31-20, with a half-ending 5-0 run of its own.

The Cardinals scratched and clawed their way out of that 11-point halftime deficit, cutting the gap to seven twice — the last time at 42-35 with 10:39 left on the clock — but Bethel again answered with a big run, outscoring SMU 15-5 to give the Royals a commanding 57-40 lead with three minutes remaining in regulation.

Michael Burfeind (Lewiston, Minn.) scored 15 points and Evan Pederson (Onalaska, Wis.) chipped in 14 — one shy of his career best — to lead the way for the Cardinals (5-13 MIAC, 5-18 overall). The Cardinals shot 31 percent from the field (15-for-49) and were 13 of 15 from the free throw line.

Taylor Hall scored a game-high 22 points and Daniel Baah added 12 for the Royals, who improved to 10-8 in conference play and moved into sole possession of fifth place in the conference standings with two games to play.

The Cardinals are back in action on Wednesday, closing out the home portion of their 2011-2012 season with a 7:30 p.m. conference game against Hamline at the SMU Gym.