Arden Hills, Minn. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team opened its 2019-20 regular-season with a 73-62 victory at Bethel University (Minn.) Tuesday night. Bethel (Minn.) drops to 1-1 on the season. It marked the second straight year UWL earned a win at Bethel (Minn.) after a 69-64 victory last season.

The Eagles earned their fourth straight season-opening win with Tuesday's victory. UWL is 7-1 in its last eight season-openers. 

UWL never trailed in Tuesday's game, taking a 10-5 lead on an Ethan Anderson three-pointer and Zac Haese jumper. The Royals cut the lead to 11-10 on Chandler Wellman's jumper with 15:30 remaining in the first half, but the Eagles scored the game's next 10 points to lead 21-10 on a Henry Noone jumper with 11:58 left. 

Bethel (Minn.) later cut the deficit to 23-19 with 9:41 remaining on a Robbie Whitney three-pointer, but the Royals would get no closer the rest of the game. UWL ended the half on a 12-2 run to lead 35-21. The Eagles were six-of-nine (66.7%) from three-point range in the first half. Haese scored 11 points in the first half, going four-of-four from the field, including two-of-three from three-point range, and hitting his only free throw attempt. 

Seven different players scored in the first half for UWL. 

The Eagles led 46-26 with 15:03 remaining on an Anderson jumper. Isaiah Carver-Bagley cut the lead to 51-37 with 10:48 left with a free throw for Bethel (Minn.) when UWL scored the next six points to lead 57-37. The Eagles led by as many as 22 points in the second half.

UWL shot 50.9% from the field, including 56.3% (nine-of-16) from three-point range, and 47.6% (10-of-21) at the free throw line. Haese led the Eagles with 21 points while Anderson added 17 and Wyatt Cook 13. 

Cook and Luke Norcia led UWL with seven rebounds each while Anderson and Sean Suchomel each had six. Norcia led the team with three assists and three steals. 

Bethel (Minn.) shot 32.8% from the field, including 26.1% (six-of-23) from three-point range, and 66.7% (16-of-24) at the line. Jack Jenson had a team-high 21 points for the Royals with Wellman finishing with 12. Granger Kingland had a game-high 11 rebounds. 

UWL returns to action Friday, November 15 facing Concordia University Wisconsin at 4 p.m. in the Loras College (Iowa) Tip-Off Classic.