ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Augsburg University women's basketball team opened Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 63-42 loss at Bethel University on Wednesday evening.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Bethel 63, Augsburg 42
LOCATION: Robertson Center, Arden Hills, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 1-2 overall (0-1 MIAC), Bethel 1-1 overall (1-0 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Bethel never trailed in the game, holding a 33-20 advantage at halftime and pulling away to lead by as many as 25 points in the second half. The Royals shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the field, while holding Augsburg to just 22.4 percent (11-of-49) from the field. Augsburg had 26 turnovers to Bethel's 22, but the Royals scored 24 points off the turnovers, compared to 10 for the Auggies. The Royals also dominated in the paint, scoring 40 points to the Auggies' 14.
• Amira LaDuke (SO, Cass Lake, Minn./Cass Lake-Bena HS) led the Auggies with eight points and seven rebounds. Wakinyela Bear (SO, Morrison, Colo./Meskwaki (Iowa) HS) scored seven points with four rebounds. Kalena Myers (SR, Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) scored four points with four rebounds.
• Coming off the bench, Lily Kirshner (FY, Everett, Wash./Glacier Peak HS) scored six points, and Saylor Gallagher (FY, Mounds View, Minn./Irondale HS) and Melanie Delestrez (SO, Lake Stevens, Wash./Lake Stevens HS) scored four points each, with Gallagher adding two assists.

FOR THE FOES
• Anna Garfield scored 16 points with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals to lead Bethel.
• Alli Born scored 13 points with seven rebounds, and Macey Littlefield scored 10 points.

UP NEXT
• The Auggies return to action next Wednesday (11/29) at 7 p.m., hosting the College of St. Scholastica at Si Melby Hall.