MORRIS, Minn. -- Bethany Lutheran (7-9 overall, 3-3 UMAC) defeated Minnesota Morris (6-9, 2-3) in convincing fashion Friday night, 89-57.
Bethany dominated the game defensively, as it finished with a program-record 21 steals in the contest. The old single-game record was 17 as a team, accomplished three times, and most recently at Northland on Feb. 15, 2020.
With the victory, BLC simultaneously snapped its own two-game skid and halted the Cougars' two-game winning streak.
Junior Hunter Nielsen (New Prague, Minn.) shattered his own single-game record with 10 blocks on the night, pushing his season total to 42, which is also a new single-season record for the Vikings. He had seven in the first half alone, which bested his previous record of six set against North Central on Jan. 25, 2020. The previous season mark was 34 blocks set by Alfonso Willis in 2008-09.
The Cougars took an early 9-3 lead, but the Vikings used a 30-2 run over the next nine minutes to take control for good. BLC led 51-24 at the intermission.
Bethany shot 21-39 (53.8%), including 6-14 from three in the opening half, while it held Morris to 8-31 (25.8 %) from the field over that same span. Freshman Ryan Samuelson (Jordan, Minn.) led the Vikings with 12 first-half points, as he shot 4-4 from three before the break.
The outcome of the game was never in doubt in the second half, as the Vikings quickly built and maintained a lead of at least 30 points following a fast-break dunk by freshman Riley Ashburn (Renville, Minn.) with over 16 minutes to play.
Six Vikings finished the game in double digits, led by senior Cire Mayfield's (St. Louis Park, Minn.) 16 points. Samuelson and Ashburn poured in 12 points apiece off the bench.
Senior Brian Smith (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) scored 10 points and added a career-high seven steals, which tied BLC's single-game record.
Nielsen also contributed 10 points, giving him a rare points and blocks double double, and junior Justin Schrupp (Danube, Minn.) had 10 points to round out those in double figures.
The Vikings remain on the road to face Crown College on Saturday at 4:45 p.m.
