Elly Schmitz and Bethel bullied their way to the top of the MIAC with a convincing win over No. 6 Gustavus Adolphus. Photo by Caleb Williams, d3photography.com

Bethel dropped unbeaten No. 6 Gustavus Adolphus in a battle for first in the MIAC while No. 3 Scranton ran away from No. 16 Catholic early. Elsewhere, No. 7 Whitman stayed perfect against Division III and No. 4 UW-Oshkosh stayed perfect overall in Saturday's women's basketball action.

• Saturday scoreboard: Men | Women
• Men’s recap: Stockton on top of stacked NJAC
• More men’s headlines
• More women’s headlines

Bethel got off to a quick start and held No. 6 Gustavus Adolphus at arm’s length as the Royals defeated the Gusties and moved alone atop the MIAC standings.

Bethel scored 12 of the game’s first 14 points and led 21-10 after one period. Gustavus opened the second period with a 7-0 run keyed by Kylie Baranick’s three pointer, but Bethel quickly took the lead back to double digits with a Lydia Hay three pointer and Macey Littlefield three-point play. Every time the Gusties cut the deficit under 10, the Royals responded, including back-to-back threes from Elly Schmitz and Anna Garfield that staked Bethel to a 51-37 lead late in the third period. Four free throws from Colette Duininck took Bethel’s lead to 67-51 midway through the fourth and put the game out of reach.

Bethel (12-3, 8-0 MIAC) shot 51 percent from the field, led by Schmitz (19 points) and Emily Erickson (17 points). Baranick notched 15 points in 38 minutes for Gustavus (14-1, 7-1 MIAC).

Gustavus' loss leaves five undefeated Division III women's basketball teams, and the other two in action won at home on Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Royals hit 12 three-pointers and had five players score double figures in a 77-55 home victory over No. 16 Catholic. Scranton seized the lead with an 11-0 run in the first quarter, pushed the lead to 12 in the second quarter, and held a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

Meghan Lamanna scored 19 points on five field goals, all three-pointers, and Maddie Harnett hit four 3-pointers on her way to 18 points. Scranton (15-0, 8-0 Landmark) held All-American Anna Scoblick to eight points on 2-for-10 shooting.

No. 4 UW-Oshkosh kept rolling through the WIAC, as Titan reserves Paige Seckar and Sammi Beyer combined for 35 points and the Titans topped UW-La Crosse, 68-50. The Titans outscored the Eagles 36-14 in the paint and outrebounded them 40-25. Kayce Vaile added a double-double (17 points, 11 rebounds for UW-Oshkosh (16-0, 5-0 WIAC).

No. 21 UW-Stout kept pace by beating UW-Stevens Point, 74-64, behind hot shooting and another big game for Raegan Sorenson. The Blue Devils shot 55 percent from the floor and hit nine 3-pointers. Sorenson scored a season-high 27 points and Kelsey Duoss for third place all-time at UW-Stout (13-3, 4-1).

No. 7 Whitman rode big games from All-American Korin Baker and Carly Martin to a nailbiter victory at George Fox, 59-55. George Fox trailed by 17 to start the fourth quarter but pulled within nine on Alyssa Wells' three-pointer and then to three on Wells' three free throws with 26 seconds left. Martin hit two free throws to take the Blues' lead back to five with 21 seconds left and the Bruins could not close the gap. Martin finished with 24 points and Baker added 23 more along with 10 rebounds for the Blues (13-1, 5-0 NWC) whose lone loss came to NAIA Lewis-Clark State.

No. 12 Baldwin Wallace had a strong first quarter and then blew away Marietta in the second in an 81-38 rout. The Yellow Jackets started the second quarter ahead by 13 and scored the first 18 points of the period. Caely Ressler scored a career-high 25 points for Baldwin Wallace (14-1, 8-0 OAC), which has won 14 straight.

NEWMAC play finally started with No. 8 Smith building a comfortable lead and holding off WPI, 61-51. Jane Loo hit two free throws and then a three pointer to start and finish a seven-point Smith burst that put the Pioneers up 15. Two free throws from Uta Nakamuta gave Smith a 20-point lead entering the final period that the Engineers could not overcome. Hannah Smith scored 10 points in each half for Smith (13-1, 1-0 NEWMAC).

Mary Schleusner posted the second 30-30 game of her career with 31 points and 31 rebounds, and No. 20 Washington and Lee ran over Roanoke, 77-50. Her other 30-30 performance came in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Macie Feldman racked up 15 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, as No. 25 Johns Hopkins cruised past Franklin and Marshall, 79-42. Feldman's triple-double is the third in program history and the 15th for Centennial Conference women's basketball.

Elizabeth Homan set a program record with 15 assists and became the NCAC's career leader in that category, as No. 18 Ohio Wesleyan crushed Wooster, 78-38. Homan now has 615 assists, passing the conference record previously held by Suzanne Helfant who played at Allegheny from 1984 to 1988.

Bridgewater remained at least a half step ahead of everyone else in the ODAC by beating Guilford, 65-59, in North Carolina. The Eagles overcame 30 turnovers by holding the Quakers to 33 percent shooting (21 for 63) and just 3-for-17 from behind the arc. Jay Garcia paced Bridgewater (15-1, 8-0 ODAC) with 16 points. 

Messiah started a tough two-game stretch with an impressive 67-46 win over York (Pa.), as the Falcons held the Spartans to 17 field goals against 23 turnovers. Messiah led the entire game, and Chloe Milanesi just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine steals. Messiah (13-2, 4-0 MACC), which was picked behind York and Widener in the preseascon coaches' poll, goes to Widener on Wednesday night.

Elsewhere...

• Tova Gelb set a new program record with 36 points, including the 1000th of her career, and Vassar outlasted RIT 86-75 in overtime. Gelb and teammate Sierra McDermed combined for 63 points in 90 minutes for the Brewers (10-6, 6-1 LL).
• Logan Thayne posted a Division leading 15th double-double but Husson rallied past SUNY Cobleskill, 75-70, in a battle of the NAC's top two teams. Jordyn Lengle and Sophia McVicar scored 12 points apiece for the Eagles (8-9, 6-1 NAC). Thayne had 19 points and 20 rebounds for the Fighting Tigers (15-3, 5-1 NAC).
• Piedmont held off Belhaven 79-65 to remain alone in first place in the Collegiate Conference of the South. Andelin Hill posted a double-double (22 points, 13 rebounds) for the Lions before fouling out. Piedmont (9-5, 5-0 CCS) has won seven of its last nine games.
• Reese Mullins scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season, and Immaculata took care of Centenary (N.J.), 89-74. The Mighty Macs are 14-3, 4-0 in conference and 9-0 at home.