ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team started the MIAC season in a big way Saturday afternoon, beating Bethel University 60-56 in Claire Lynch Hall.
 
The win marks the first against the Royals since Jan. 3, 2015, for CSB, and just the second in the last eight meetings between the two teams. Bethel (3-3, 0-1) was picked to finish third in the league's preseason coaches poll.
 
Saturday's win comes after another slow start for CSB, which was down 16-6 after one quarter. Saint Benedict used a big second quarter to get within three, 32-19, at halftime, and then within one after three quarters.
 
Niki Fokken scored early in the fourth to put CSB (6-1, 1-0) up one, 43-42, and that sparked a 12-2 Saint Benedict run that put CSB up 53-44 with 6:41 left to play. Courtney Nelson hit a three with 6:41 left to make it a nine-point game, and free throws by Haylee Fingalsen and a layup by Chelsey Guetter kept it a nine-point game as Bethel tried to claw its way back.
 
The Royals went on an 8-0 run that ended with a 3-pointer with 1:12 left to make it a one-point game, 57-56, but Maddie Schmitz hit a free throw and Kate Banovetz hit a pair of free throws with nine seconds left to make it a four-point game and help CSB hold on for the win.
 
Saint Benedict got off to a solid start as Banovetz hit a pair of free throws and Fokken scored early to put CSB up 4-1, but a jumper by Nelson was the only other basket of the quarter for CSB. Fokken scored to start the second and spark a 14-4 run that ended with a three by Sidney Schiffler and a 20-20 ballgame with 4:25 left in the second. Nelson hit a three late in the quarter to put CSB up one, but Bethel scored twice before halftime to regain the lead.
 
Banovetz and Breanna Gates both scored midway through the third to put CSB up one, 39-38, but the Royals capitalized at the free throw line late in the quarter to hold on to a slim lead heading into the fourth.
 
Fokken finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds – which ties her career high. Six of those rebounds were offensive. Nelson added 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting, including 3-of-3 from long range, and Banovetz had nine points. Saint Benedict shot just over 33 percent from the field and went 5-for-8 from long range. CSB went 19-for-29 from the line and had 42 rebounds and 22 turnovers.
 
Taite Anderson led the Royals with 23 points and 13 rebounds. She went 11-for-14 from the line. Bethel shot 37.8 percent from the field and went 18-for-27 from the line. The Royals had 30 rebounds and 19 turnovers.
 
CSB returns home twice more before it plays on the road again. Saint Benedict hosts Macalester Wednesday, Dec. 6, and St. Olaf on Saturday, Dec. 9.