ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball coach Brent Pollari must have had a severe case of déjà vu heading into the fourth quarter of the Cardinals' showdown with Bethel Wednesday evening.
 
Flashback to the teams' first meeting on Dec. 7: The Royals, clinging to a three-point, 45-42 lead after three quarters, erupted for 24 fourth-quarter points in dealing the Cardinals a 69-56 setback at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
Fast-forward to Wednesday evening: After three quarters of play, the Royals had once again scored 45 points and were clinging to yet another narrow advantage—this time a two-point, 45-43 edge.
 
And, unfortunately for the Cardinals, the Royals were unstoppable in the final 10 minutes, putting up 24 points—to once again finish with 69 points for the game—in dropping Saint Mary's 69-54 at BU's Robertson Center Gym.
 
The first half belonged to Bethel, as the Royals used a 16-2 run to take a 16-4 advantage late in the first quarter and built their lead to as many as 13, 31-18, before settling for a nine-point, 37-27 cushion at the halftime intermission.
 
Saint Mary's whittled away at the Bethel lead throughout the third quarter, finally pulling even, 43-43, on a layup by Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) with 1:23 remaining.
 
Bethel would get the final two points of the third quarter—and the first 14 of the second—to take a commanding 61-43 lead and thwart any Saint Mary's comeback hopes.
 
Alexa Huisman (Adrian, Minn.) scored a team-high 17 points, going 5-for-9 from the field with three 3-pointers, while Brigette Audette (Big Lake, Minn.) chipped in nine points and Blattner added 16 rebounds.
 
Abby Miller and Hannah Johnson led the way for the Royals, scoring 19 and 16 points, respectively, as Bethel improved to 13-2 in conference play and 18-4 overall.
 
The Cardinals (7-8 MIAC, 13-9 overall) are back in action on Saturday, traveling to St. Catherine's Butler Center in St. Paul, Minn., for a 3 p.m. conference matchup against the Wildcats.