BOX SCORE

The College of Saint Benedict basketball team (1-0 overall, 0-0 MIAC) starts the 2010-2011 season off right with a 69-58 win over UW-Eau Claire in the Blazers' home opener this evening.

The Blugolds started the game with an 8-4 lead over the Blazers, keeping their distance until they led 15-10 with 12 minutes remaining in the half.  CSB closed the gap by tying the score at 19 with 9:30 remaining.  Here, the Blazers found their first lead of the game.  They kept the pressure but couldn't maintain the lead as Eau Claire pulled ahead 28-27 with four minutes left on the clock.  Two minutes later, the Blugolds were ahead 33-32 and that's the way the score stayed into halftime.

Eau Claire came out strong in the second half, picking up a seven-point lead in two minutes of play to lead 39-32.  CSB, however, didn't let the lead get any bigger, progressively closing the gap and tying the score at 49 at the ten minute mark.  The Blazers finally found their lead and extended it to six points at 56-50 with 5:30 left on the clock.  CSB's pressure held back the Blugolds as the Blazers went on to win 69-58.

Three Blazers score 12 points in tonight's win - senior wing Amy Stifter (Watertown, MN, Watertown-Mayer), senior forward Laura Canton (Pine Island, MN, Pine Island), and sophomore forward Morgan Dale (Jamestown, ND, Jamestown).  All of Dale's points came off of 4-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc.  Collectively, the Blazers forced 20 Blugold turnovers off of 15 CSB steals.  Eau Claire was led by Hannah Mesick, who score 25 points and passed the 1,000 point mark in her career.

CSB next travels to Atlanta, GA, for the Emory Tournament.  The Blazers first play Piedmont College on Fri., Nov. 19 at 7 p.m.  They will play on Sat., Nov. 19 in either the championship game at 5 p.m. or the consolation game at 3 p.m.