Even though Bethel opened the game on a 11-0 run, the Falcon men's basketball team escaped with a 65-62 victory over the Royals for the Bethel College Tournament Championship on Saturday night.
 
The Falcons would not score for nearly the first four minutes and 30 seconds of play until Shane Manor (Altoona, WI, UW-Superior) connected on a layup to cut the Bethel lead to 11-2.
 
UWRF would not get their first lead until a Manor dunk with 3:19 to play in the game put the Falcons up by one.  It was a lead that the Falcons would not relinquish for the remainder of the game.  Manor would finish the game leading the Falcons with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
 
UWRF's largest lead was five, which came after a Wade Guerin (Bloomington, MN, St. Croix Lutheran HS) layup with 1:46 to go in regulation. Guerin finished just shy of a double-double.  He had 14 points and nine rebounds.  Aaron Anderson (Stillwater, MN, Stillwater HS) and Ethan Thomforde (Apple Valley, MN, Augustana College) would each chip in nine points in the winning effort.
 
The Falcons were able to dominate the inside presence.  UWRF held a 26-12 advantage for points in the paint.
 
Anderson and Brian Kimble (Stevenson Ranch, CA, Coll. of Canyons JC) lead the way in dishing the ball to their teammates.  They each had four assists.  As a team, the Falcons registered 15 assists to go along with 25 field goals made and five three-pointers.
 
The Falcons' shooting was hot in the second half.  They would connect on 16-28 for 57.1 percent to put them back in the game.  The Falcons also turned up their defense in the second half by limiting Bethel to 40 percent from the field.  This also was much better than the first half of shooting for the Falcons, who were 9-25 for an even 36 percent.
 
The Falcons are now 2-1 on the season.  They have won two in a row after dropping their season opener to Viterbo.  Bethel is now also 2-1 on the year.
 
 The Falcons' next game brings defending national champion St. Thomas to the Karges Center.  The action is set to get underway at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The Falcons are 14-21 all-time against the Tommies.
 
Box Score