ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Consistent performances from several key contributors have the College of Saint Benedict basketball team off to its best start in more than a decade, and the team’s games over the holiday break were no exception.
One of those key contributors is senior Niki Fokken, and she came up big for CSB again in its three games – all on the road – to end December and kick off 2018. Fokken averaged better than 11 points and nearly eight rebounds per game throughout that three-game stretch to help CSB go 3-0, and has been named the first CSB Athlete of the Week of 2018.
Fokken started the series of road trips – which went from Duluth to Moorhead to Winona – with 11 points and seven rebounds in an 81-48 win at St. Scholastica on Dec. 30. She went 5-for-5 from the line to help Saint Benedict reach 80 or more points for the first time in 2017-18.
She recorded her second double-double of the season to kick off 2018 with 13 points and 13 rebounds in a 66-47 win at Concordia. That also marked the second double-digit rebound total of the season for Fokken, who is second on the team with 6.2 rebounds per game.
Fokken added nine points and three rebounds to her total Saturday in a 60-55 win at Saint Mary’s. She was perfect from the line again, finishing the night 3-for-3.
Fokken wrapped up the week averaging 11.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in three games played. She currently leads the team with 12.8 points per game, and has scored in double digits in eight games. She is 12
th in the MIAC in scoring and rebounding.
Thanks in part to Fokken’s performances, CSB is now 12-1 overall and 6-0 in the MIAC. That marks the best overall start for the team since 2004-05 when it also started the year 12-1. It marks the best start to MIAC play since 2009-10 when Saint Benedict won seven straight conference games to start the year.
CSB is back in action and back at home Wednesday, Jan. 10, when it hosts St. Kate’s at 7 p.m. in Claire Lynch Hall.
