ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Hamline men's basketball team (1-0) defeated Bethel University (0-1) for the first time in six years to start their 2020-21 campaign with a 55-38 road win.
The Pipers played solid defense throughout the contest, holding their opponents to shooting just under 30.0% from the field and forcing 15 turnovers which they converted into 13 points.
Hamline shot a little under 40% on the day and was led by juniors Jake Larson and Luke Siwek and senior Michael Dillon, who all ended in double figures. Larson, after missing the majority of last season due to injury, scored 11 points in the first half to get the offense going.
Dillon and Siwek came alive in the second half and ended with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Senior Trey Prince chipped in with eight points, while also dishing out six assists and nabbing five rebounds.
Sophomore Marshall Holland led the rebounding efforts, with seven on the day, while also contributing three blocks.
The play went back and forth for the first five minutes, with Holland hitting a three to put the Pipers up by five, at 10-5, and back-to-back baskets from Andrew Jackson and Larson pushed the lead to nine. The next seven points went to the Royals to make it a two-point game.
Bethel took over the lead with five minutes left to go in the half, but a three from Larson a little while later put HU up by three and they would not give up the lead for the rest of the game.
After leading 27-20 at half time, Hamline would let the Royals get within one with 13 minutes left, but they refused to give up the lead. The Pipers then went on a 14-0 run to put them up by 15 with a little over six minutes to play. At one point in the later part of the half, the Hamline defense held Bethel scoreless for a span of nine and a half minutes, allowing just three points in the final 10 minutes.
The 38 points allowed by the Pipers is the fewest allowed in any game during head coach Jim Hayes' past seven seasons.
The Pipers are gearing up for a busy week of competition as they will play Saint Mary's, St. Thomas, and Saint John's next week. Hamline will first take on Saint Mary's in a non-conference game on Monday, February 1st at 7:00 p.m. at Hutton Arena.
As a reminder, no fans will be allowed, but the game can be viewed at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/hamline/
