MANKATO, Minn. – The Bethany Lutheran men's basketball team (19-6 overall, 14-2 UMAC) defeated UW-Superior (16-9, 13-3) 92-75 Saturday. With the victory, the Vikings solidified the No. 2 seed for the UMAC Conference Tournament next week and will host the YellowJackets, the No. 3 seed, Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 5:30 p.m.


 
Bethany set a new season record as a team with 14 conference wins to surpass the previous best of 13 set in 2011-12, 2017-18, and 2018-19.
 
BLC opened the game on a 12-5 run over the first five minutes of the contest.  UW-Superior made it nine-point game with 1:58 to play in the frame, but Bethany answered with a 5-0 run to build a 15-point lead at halftime (47-32).
 
The Vikings would continue to maintain a double digit lead in the second half, and led by as many as 24 points.
 
Four players finished in double figures as senior Trenton Krueger (Eagan, Minn.) led the way with 22 points and 10 rebounds. He set another record on the day as he became the season leader in rebounds (216) to move ahead of Andy Wills' 208 set in 2008-09.
 
Junior Jared MIlinkovich (New Prague, Minn.) joined him with a double double at 16 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Cire Mayfield (St. Louis Park, Minn.) had 22 points and junior Brian Smith (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) had 18 points.
 
Defensively, BLC held the 'Jackets to 20% from beyond the arc. Bethany owned the advantages in field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage, rebound's (34-24), assists (22-10), blocks (4-1) and steals, (10-9).
 
The Vikings return to the court Wednesday in a UMAC Tournament Semifinal game.