MANKATO, Minn. - The Martin Luther College men's basketball team could not keep pace with Bethany Lutheran College in a 96-55 defeat on Friday.

The Vikings jumped out to a strong start, scoring 49 first-half points on 50.0 percent shooting, but the Knights struggled on the offensive end by shooting 25.0 percent on the way to a 27-point halftime deficit.

The Knights were able to get more going offensively in the second half, shooting 43.3 percent, but the halftime deficit was too much to overcome before the Vikings pushed the lead higher in the final minutes of the win.

MLC held BLC to 6-20 shooting from beyond the three-point arc, but the Vikings countered by outscoring the Knights 50-32 in the paint and 20-8 at the free throw line.

Jack Heichelbech was the lone MLC player in double figures with 16 points. 

MLC dropped to 2-16 on the season and 0-8 in UMAC play with the loss. BLC improved to 9-9 overall and 5-3 in league play with the win.

The Knights will return to action tomorrow (Saturday, January 29) when they travel to Maranatha Baptist for a game scheduled to start at 8:00 p.m.