ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Carleton College men's basketball team got off a strong start but was unable to maintain its early lead as Bethel University used its advantage at the 3-point line to secure a 70-54 win. Jeremy Beckler (Fy./Lino Lakes, Minn./White Bear Lake) led the Knights by scoring 18 points and snared a game-high nine rebounds to go along with two blocks.
 
Carleton (7-10, 4-8 MIAC) held an 18-10 advantage with 11 minutes remaining in the first half. Bethel (11-6, 8-4 MIAC) closed the period on a 24-7 run and owned a 34-25 edge at the break.
 
Hudson Urbanus and Isaiah Carver-Bagley scored all the points during the Royals' 11-0 spurt to open the second half, and the hosts suddenly owned a 45-25 lead with 16:00 on the clock. Bethel maintained at least a 14-point lead the rest of the way.
 
Bolstered by effective long-range shooting by Urbanus (4-of-6) and Carver-Bagley (3-of-5), the Royals made 10-of-23 (44 percent) of their shots from beyond the arc in the game. In comparison, Carleton was 4-of-14 (29 percent) from distance.
 
Isaac Tessier (Fy./White Bear Lake, Minn./White Bear Lake) and Kent Hanson (Sr./St. Paul, Minn./St. Paul Academy) combined to complete 16 points for Carleton, with Brad Lee (Fy./La Canada Flintridge, Calif./Maranatha) contributing six points off the bench. Henry Bensen (Sr./Roseville, Minn./Roseville) won six rebounds to Hanson's five, and Tessier and Benson each tied for a game-high four assists.
 
Carver-Bagley scored a career-high 25 points to go along with eight rebounds. Urbanus and Chandler Wellman tallied 16 and 10 points, respectively, for the home team.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE KNIGHTS: Carleton will face No. 2-ranked Saint John's University at West Gym on Saturday, Jan. 25. at 1:00 p.m.