Box Score  | GameDay Preview

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's basketball team made a habit of erasing halftime deficits a year ago.

In fact, the Cardinals trailed at the break 11 times last season — winning seven of those contests.

Wednesday evening, the Cardinals found themselves in that familiar position, down by 11 at halftime in their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against Bethel.

And the Cardinals did hold the scoring edge over the game's final 20 minutes — but the 11-point deficit was just too big a hole to dig out of, as Bethel handed SMU a 78-69 conference setback at Robertson Center.

It was the Royals' dead-eye accuracy from the free throw line that secured the win in this battle of conference unbeaten, as Bethel knocked down 31 of 41 attempts from the charity stripe — including 25 in the second half alone.

The Royals scored the game's first 10 points and led by as many as 11 on five separate occasions, including 37-26 at the break.

SMU pulled even with BU on a Courtney Euerle (Litchfield, Minn.) basket that made it 48-48 with 12:29 remaining, but the Royals scored the next four points and would not relinquish the lead the rest of the way.

Shelby Auseth (Wanamingo, Minn.) scored a team-high 18 points and pulled down eight rebounds, while Euerle chipped in 14 points and seven boards for the Cardinals, who suffered their first loss of the season in falling to 1-1 in MIAC play and 3-1 overall.

Bethel — unbeaten through three games this season — boasted four players in double figures, led by Kalli Zimmerman with 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday, when they return home for a 3 p.m. MIAC contest against Saint Benedict at the SMU Gym.