MANKATO, Minn. - The Martin Luther College men's basketball team lost 81-69 at Bethany Lutheran College on Wednesday.

The Vikings jumped on top from the opening tip with a 10-0 run, but MLC came back to cut the deficit to four points before BLC finished the half with a 5-0 run to take a 42-33 lead into the half.

Both teams upped the defensive intensity in the second half and the Knights held within striking distance throughout, but were unable to get the deficit under seven before the Vikings pushed the lead back into double figures down the stretch to secure the win.

MLC finished the game shooting 35.3 percent from the field and struggled from the outside as it shot 7-27 from beyond the three-point arc. BLC shot 41.2 percent overall, but was 8-18 from three-point range to help keep the Knights at bay.

Richard Eckmann led MLC with 18 points and nine rebounds. Austin DeNoyer added 16 points, while Joshua Schroeder led the Knights' bench players with 10 points. Ian Paulsen was held to nine points, but blocked six shots and added six rebounds. 

MLC fell to 2-16 overall and 1-9 in UMAC play in defeat. BLC improved to 12-7 on the season and 8-2 in league play with the win.

The Knights will return to action on Saturday, January 27, when they host UW-Superior in a game scheduled to start at 3 p.m.