ST. PAUL, Minn. – Continuing a four game road trip, the Bethel University women's basketball team defeated St. Catherine 69-50 Wednesday evening inside the Butler Center.

Remaining perfect in MIAC play at 5-0, BU builds on its best start in program history with an 8-0 record. The Royals get a well needed rest to celebrate the holiday break before returning to action Dec. 29 and 30 in Naples, Fla. BU opens with Vassar College before taking on Salisbury closing out the trip in the Sunshine State.

Senior forward Taite Anderson went 7-of-9 from the field scoring a game-high 19 points. Junior Makenna Pearson knocked down three 3-pointers as part of her 16 point effort while Bella Williams added 12 points respectively. Senior guard Haylee Barker was two steals shy of her career-high and school record with eight.

The Royals never trailed in the contest and were only tied for the opening 20 seconds before Williams knocked down the game's opening jumper. In a close first quarter which Bethel led by no more than two possessions, the Royals held a 15-10 lead after the opening 10 minutes.

Bethel's offense picked up in the second where it outscored the Wildcats 23-10 on 7-of-8 shooting. BU opened on a 5-0 run with Williams connecting from the charity stripe bringing the margin to 10. After getting in the bonus midway through the second - where BU went 7-of-12 from the charity stripe - Pearson got hot from long distance sinking a pair of threes giving the Royals a 38-20 halftime lead.

Out of the break, Bethel got cold while the Wildcats' defense forced eight turnovers. The lead reached 20-plus with an Anderson layup on the fast break that originated out of a steal from Barker. A 3-pointer from Pearson with 8:35 left in the contest gave Bethel its widest margin at 63-43.

Story by Austin Lagesse, Bethel University Assistant Sports Information Director