ST. PAUL - The Martin Luther College men's basketball team lost its final game before the Thanksgiving break by the score of 95-46 at Bethel on Tuesday.

The Royals controlled the action from the opening tip, forcing ten MLC turnovers and controlling the offensive glass on the way to a 51-25 halftime lead. 

Bethel continued that pace in the second half, making three straight three-point field goals to open play to push the lead further on the way to the win.

The Knights struggled offensively, shooting 32.7 percent while the Royals finished 50.7 percent from the field. Bethel won the rebounding battle 50-28 and outscored the Knights 30-2 in second chance points. They also shot well from downtown, making 16 of 42 attempts against an MLC zone that forced them to take shots from the outside.

Ian Paulsen was the lone MLC player in double figures with 13 points on 5-11 shooting from the field. Richard Eckmann and T.J. Babinec each finished with seven points for the Knights.

MLC fell to 1-3 on the season in defeat, while the Royals improved to 2-1 on the season with the win.

The Knights will return to action at home on Monday, November 28, when they host Macalester in a game scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.