ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – With 3:44 left in the third quarter, it looked as though the College of Saint Benedict basketball team was on its way to its second MIAC loss of the season. With 3:25 left in the third quarter, Niki Fokken, Chelsey Guetter and Breanna Gates took over.
 
The trio combined to score 27 of the next 42 points for CSB, which outscored Bethel 42-20 in the final 13:25 of the game en route to an 83-76, come-from-behind win on the Royals' home court in Arden Hills.
 
The win marks the 17^th of the season for CSB, and the road victory against Bethel since Jan. 30, 2013. Saint Benedict has a steady hold on second in the MIAC at 11-1 and is 17-2 overall.
 
For the first two quarters of play, the Royals (13-6, 8-4) held the advantage. Bethel led 20-15 after one quarter and 41-34 at halftime. Bethel pushed its lead to 14 – 56-42 – with 3:44 left in the third quarter, marking its biggest lead of the game. CSB wasn't ready to roll over yet, however.
 
Fokken hit a pair of baskets and Guetter scored to cut the gap to seven, and a three by Gates with five seconds left made it a seven-point game, 58-51, at the end of the third quarter. Bethel hit a three to start the final quarter and extend its lead to 10, 61-51, but Guetter knocked down a 3-pointer of her own, Gates converted a three-point play and Guetter scored again to make it a four-point game with 8:51 to play.
 
A layup and a pair of free throws by Kate Banovetz made ita  four-point game, then Haylee Fingalsen scored on a layup and a 3-pointer to put CSB up by one, 70-69, with 5:28 remaining. The lead changed hands three more times, but Fokken converted a three-point play with 3:32 left to put Saint Benedict up for good.
 
Gates scored on a layup and Sidney Schiffler hit three free throws down the stretch to help seal the win for CSB, which outscored Bethel 32-18 in the final quarter.
 
Fokken scored 23 points to lead CSB, including 17 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field in the second half. Gates finished with a career-high 16 points off the bench and Guetter added 15 points. Banovetz led the team with eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
 
CSB shot 49.3 percent from the field, including an 11-for-14 clip in the fourth quarter. Saint Benedict hit six 3-pointers and went 11-for-21 from the line. CSB had 30 rebounds and had nine turnovers to the Royals' 21.
 
Hannah Johnson led all scorers with 25 points for Bethel. She went 11-for-12 from the field and she also had 15 rebounds. The Royals shot 62.5 percent from the field and hit seven 3-pointers. The Royals had 28 rebounds and went 9-for-13 from the line.
 
CSB is back at home Wednesday, Jan. 31, when it hosts Concordia at 7 p.m. in Claire Lynch Hall.