NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The St. Olaf College men's basketball team snapped a five-game losing streak and stayed in contention for a spot in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Playoffs with a wire-to-wire 82-59 victory over Bethel University on Saturday afternoon at Skoglund Center.

St. Olaf (13-11, 9-10 MIAC) never trailed in the game and shot 53.8 percent (35-for-65) from the field – its third-highest mark of the season – to earn a split of the regular-season series with Bethel (9-14, 7-11 MIAC). The Oles turned the ball over just five times and scored 52 points in the paint in the victory.

Fifth-year senior Nathan Hendler had his third 20-point performance of the season, shooting 10-for-13 from the field on his way to a game-high 22 points for St. Olaf. Junior Connor Martin had 15 of his 19 points in the opening half and added eight rebounds and three assists. Senior Michael Meriggioli was also in double figures with 11 points and seven rebounds. Ten Oles scored in the game.

St. Olaf wasted little time in building a double-digit-point lead, starting the game on a 12-2 run over the first 4:42 of the game behind seven early points from Martin. After trailing 16-4, Bethel scored four-straight points to make it an eight-point game, but junior Caleb Greer hit a jumper on the next possession to get the lead back to double figures.

The Oles led by at least 10 the rest of the half and took their largest lead of the game at the time into the halftime break, leading 41-25. Martin and Hendler combined for as many first-half points as the Royals, combining to shoot 10-for-16 (62.5 percent) from the field in the opening 20 minutes.

St. Olaf quickly expanded its lead even further early in the second half, starting the half on a 15-2 run over the first seven-plus minutes, a run which ended with back-to-back three-pointers by Hendler. A jumper by Avery Mast on the first possession of the second half was as close as the Royals got over the final 20 minutes.

The Oles shot even better in the second half, hitting at a 56.3-percent clip (18-for-32) after the break. Hendler led all scorers with 12 second-half points, while Meriggioli had eight of his 11 after halftime. St. Olaf held a commanding 43-28 advantage in rebounding in the game, including grabbing 12 offensive rebounds that led to 13 second-chance points.

Before the game, the Oles honored senior Charlie Haff and his family on the court after Haff sustained an injury during the week that meant he will not return to St. Olaf for a fifth year next season.

St. Olaf closes out its regular-season schedule by hosting the College of St. Scholastica on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. The Oles need to defeat the Saints and get some help over the final two dates of the regular season to earn a spot in the MIAC Playoffs.