Macalester fought back from a 20-point deficit midway through the second half to pull to within 10 points at 76-66 with 4:14 to play, but visiting Bethany Lutheran held on to defeat the Scots 90-83 at the Leonard Center in Macalester's season-opener.

Bethany Lutheran went 31-for-37 from the free throw line, compared to 14-for-24 for the Scots, and out-rebounded the home team 41-31.

Pierce Peters (So., Glenwood, Minn.) scored 25 points on a 9-for-13 shooting effort to pace Macalester, while Justin Wasik (Fy., Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South) added 22 points in his collegiate debut. Kyle Hamblett (Sr., Paris, France / American School of Paris) handed out eight assists. Peters and Wasik combined to make 6-of-9 from three-point territory.

Mac shot 49%, including 44% on three-pointers.

The score was close throughout the first 13 minutes of play before BLC turned a three-point lead into a 13-point advantage at 36-23 advantage with 10 unanswered points. The Vikings led 41-29 at the break, due largely to a 57% shooting mark.

Down by 15 points at 45-30 early in the second period, Macalester staged a 17-5 run to get to within three points at 50-47 with 14:26 to play. The Vikings, however, responded with a rally of their own to go up 67-48 at 10:33 with a 17-1 run.

Garrett Benson scored 30 points to pace the Vikings (1-1), while Derek Peterson had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Trevor Bartelt had five assists and three steals.

Macalester looks to rebounds from its opening-game defeat when it travels to  Wisconsin-Superior on Friday (Nov. 19).