BOX SCORE

The College of Saint Benedict basketball team (14-4 overall, 12-3 MIAC) defeated St. Mary's University 81-61 this afternoon, moving up into a second-place tie in the conference.

The Blazers held the Cardinals to single-digit scoring in the first ten minutes of the game, picking up a 6-0 lead and extending it to 21-10 at the halfway mark.  CSB went on to extend its lead, shooting a stunning 58% from the field including 60% from the three-point line, heading into the locker room with a 44-24 cushion.

CSB slipped to a 17-point lead to start the second half, but that's as close as St. Mary's ever got to the Blazers, who led by 29 points on two occasions A 52% field-goal percentage helped carry the Blazers, their second-highest of the season behind 55% in the St. Catherine win on Dec. 7, 2009.  CSB went on to win 81-61.

Leading the Blazers was juniog wing Amy Stifter (Watertown, MN, Watertown-Mayer), who had 15 points and six rebounds.  Junior post Heather Gillund (Ham Lake, MN, Blaine) had 14 points off of 6-for-7 shooting, while junior forward Laura Canton (Pine Island, MN, Pine Island) added 10 points.

Up next, the Blazers host Macalester on Mon., Feb 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Claire Lynch Hall.