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WINONA, Minn. — All season long, the Saint Mary's University women's basketball team has prided itself on its defense.

And the Cardinals' D was once again at its best, as SMU — coming off a win on Wednesday in which it held Macalester to just 14 first-half points — limited visiting Bethel to 19 points over the game's first 20 minutes and cruised to an 85-53 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory at the SMU Gym.

Bethel, behind the play of Rachel Parupsky — who scored 10 of the team's 19 points in the opening half — jumped out to a 13-12 lead six minutes into the game.

From there, however, it was all SMU.

The Cardinals held the Royals to just six points over the final 14 minutes of the first half — outscoring Bethel 23-6 en route to a 39-19 advantage at the break.

SMU shot 47 percent from the field (17-for-36), drained three 3-pointers and were 2-for-2 from the line in the first half. Bridget Pethke (Larsen, Wis.) dished out seven first-half assists — much to the delight of Courtney Euerle (Litchfield, Minn.) and Jamie Stefely (Lisle, Ill.), who benefited from Pethke's deliveries to the tune of 10 points each.

And as good as the Cardinals were in the first half, they were even better in the second, erupting for a season-high 46 second-half point — draining 18 of 36 field goals — including four more 3-pointers — and a 6 of 8 effort from the free throw line.

Euerle finished with a team-best and season-high 17 points and eight rebounds, while Pethke and Stefely each chipped in 12 points and Jessica Thone (Woodbury, Minn.) tallied 11. It was the second time in the last three games that SMU boasted four players in double figures.

Parupsky netted a game-high 19 points and hauled in 12 rebounds to pace Bethel (1-9 MIAC, 2-11).

The Cardinals — whose 85-point effort was their highest single-game offensive output since SMU tossed in 97 points against Augsburg on Dec. 4, 2004 — are back in action on Wednesday, traveling to Northfield, Minn., for a 5:45 p.m. conference showdown with St. Olaf