Box Score Normally, a team that shoots 48 per cent from the field as Hamline's men's basketball  team did Saturday at Bethel, stands a fairly good chance of succeeding. Unfortunately for HU, they ran into a redhot  Royal team that shot 61 per cent from the field in a 94-70 setback.

Jay Betts scored 14 points to lead HU with Ethan Scheuring also coming off the bench to add 12. Zach Smith also potted a dozen markers and pushed his consecutive free throw streak to 34 with four perfect deliveries.  The junior guard leads the MIAC and is ranked third in all of D-III with a .940 percentage from the line (78-83). Isaac Brooks added 10 points and a team high four rebounds. The Royals set the tone early with a 71 per cent shooting percentage in the first half that ended with a 53-33 margin.

The Pipers pecked away in the second half, cutting the deficit to as few as 13 with still 13 minutes to play in the game. But that was close as they could get.  For the game, Hamline connected on 24 of 50 tries from the field.

Hamline is now 10-6 overall and now stand 7-4 -- just one game behind league co-leaders Bethel, St. John's and St. Thomas. They return to the floor on Wednesday, January 25 at Augsburg. Game time is 7:00 p.m.