Box Score MANKATO, Minn. --- Halfway through the men's conference schedule, three teams were tied at 3-4 for fourth place in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Bethany Lutheran, Martin Luther, and St. Scholastica. Two of those teams met Tuesday night at the Sports and Fitness Center to open the second half of the conference slate: Bethany Lutheran and Martin Luther. The Vikings pulled away late from the Knights to gain the crucial win 79-67 to even their UMAC mark at 4-4.

The top four teams qualify for the UMAC postseason tournament and the Vikings win keeps them in position. The other team in that 3-way tie coming in, St. Scholastica, won on Tuesday as well and those two play Friday in Mankato for yet another big contest.

The first half was tightly contested as neither team led by more than four points. MLC gained that advantage after a Galen Holzhueter lay-in with 5:51 left at 27-23. The Vikings though would close out the half on a 14-6 run that enabled them to lead by four at the break 37-33. Chris Scarver and Jacob Wensmann both made 3s as Bethany scored the last six points of the half.

Martin Luther started the second twenty minutes with a spurt going on an 11-2 run to take a 44-39 lead after a Michael Paulsen 3. The Vikings countered with an 11-2 run of their own helped with a pair of Mitch Hopkins 3s to go up 50-46 with 12:55 remaining.

The game would be tied at 56 with 6:29 left, before Bethany went on a game-clinching spurt. Wensmann and Hopkins combined to score the game's next eight points as the Vikings extended the lead the rest of the way to gain the victory.

Free throws were key for the Vikings in the second half. They hit 15-of-16 while the Knights only connected on 4-of-8.

Wensmann recorded a double-double scoring 21 points and collecting 11 rebounds. He also went a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe. Trent Kuechenmeister had 12 points and Hopkins totaled 11.

The Vikings (5-14, 4-4 in UMAC) game against the Saints Friday is at 7:30 p.m.