ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – First-years Matt Drake and Josh Engleberg tallied career highs with 21 and 16 points, respectively, but the Carleton College men's basketball team dropped an 84-81 heartbreaker at Bethel University. The visiting Knights led for 31 of 40 minutes of action but could not hold on in the closing minutes.
 
It was a tale of two halves offensively, and the Knights (9-6, 3-4 MIAC) were the hot team to start, putting up 45 points on 21-of-32 shooting (65.6 percent) across the first 20 minutes. The Bethel (11-4, 5-1 MIAC) offense dominated the second half, as they bettered the Knights' first half total with 48 points on 19-of-28 shooting (67.9 percent).
 
After missing their first three shot attempts to start the contest, the Knights made 11-of their next-12 to take an early 23-14 lead with 9:46 to play in the first half, a lead Carleton would not relinquish until the final 3:39 of the contest.
 
The Royals countered with an 11-4 run to cut the lead to two, but the Knights rattled off six straight to push the lead back up to eight and eventually carried a 45-36 advantage heading into the locker room for intermission.
 
Drake (14) and Spencer Goetz (10) combined for 24 of the Knights' 45 first half points on 12-of-15 shooting. The Knights also dominated the points in the paint, holding a 34-16 advantage over the Royals over the first 20 minutes.
 
The second half saw a game of runs, as the Knights led by as much as 12 before the lead slipped through their hands in the closing minutes.
 
Carleton led 71-60 before a 14-2 run by the Royals gave them a 74-73 advantage at the 3:39 mark, their first lead since the 15-minute mark of the first half.
 
Bethel missed four free throws over the final 32 seconds but still led 84-81. Carleton's attempted game-tying shot was blocked, permitting the Royals to hold on for the victory.

Carleton finished the game shooting 52.2 percent compared to 57.9 percent for the Royals.
 
Playing without forward Sam Koelling—the Knights' top interior defender and second-leading scorer—due to illness, the Knights still finished with four players in double figures. Drake and Engleberg led the way, while Goetz Goetz stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. Luke Harris finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds to record his third career double-double.
 
Bethel was led by a pair of 20-point scorers in Payton Thomsen with 24 and Nick Burke with 21. Caden Boettcher recorded a double-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton returns to West Gym for a 1:00 p.m. tipoff against the Concordia College-Moorhead on Saturday, Jan. 18.