NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Five members of the St. Olaf College men's basketball team scored in double figures at the Oles downed Bethany Lutheran, 82-77, in the home opener at Bob Gelle Court on Saturday afternoon.

Senior Nate Albers led St. Olaf with 17 points, while senior Noah Beck recorded his second double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Troy Diggins Jr. and junior Dominic Bledsoe registered 13 points, and sophomore Carter Uphus had 10.

With St. Olaf (2-1) up 71-69, sophomore Nathan Hendler sank a three-pointer from Uphus to give St. Olaf a five-point lead, and sank another three-pointer two minutes later to regain a five-point lead over Bethany Lutheran (1-2) with 1:36 to go in the game. Beck had three free throws in the final 12 seconds of the game to help lift the Oles past the Vikings.

St. Olaf got three-pointers from Albers and Diggins Jr. in the first minute and a half of the game to give St. Olaf a four-point lead in a half that saw seven lead changes.

A layup from Bethany Lutheran's Trenton Krueger gave the Vikings' a one-point lead as they would hold the lead for the next 10:02, before a Diggins Jr. jumper evened the score at 30-30 with 4:41 to go in the half.

After the Vikings regained the lead, a pair of free throws from Bledsoe put St. Olaf up one at 34-33, but a Kaden Vaughn three-pointer put the Vikings ahead two heading into the half.

Neither team led by more than three points in the first five minutes of the second half as there were four lead changes. Bethany Lutheran finished a layup and sank a three-pointer to extend the Vikings' lead to eight at 54-46.

A basket behind the arc from Bledsoe, followed by a pair of free throws from Beck brought the Oles within one. With 7:40 to go, Uphus had a three-point play that regained the lead for St. Olaf for the first time since 17:36 in the half.

With a tied game at 69-69 and 5:06 left in the contest, Bledsoe hit a jumper, followed a three-pointer from Hendler to put St. Olaf up five. A pair of free throws from Hendler extended the Oles' lead to seven, its largest lead of the game.

Bethany Lutheran got back within three points at the 2:48 mark after Krueger finished a layup, but a Hendler three-pointer regained a six-point lead for St. Olaf. The Vikings answered with a pair of free throws and a layup to get back within two, but free throws from Beck in the final 12 seconds secured the victory.

Krueger led all scorers with 27 points, but St. Olaf was 27-of-33 from the free throws line and forced 17 turnovers.

The Oles are back on the road on Tuesday, Nov. 19, for a non-conference contest against North Central (Minn.) at 7:30 p.m.