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Senior Day: As the Blazers play their final home game, they will celebrate their five seniors,
Whitney Canton,
Morgan Dale,
Hannah Hylla,
Kailyn Wilcox and
Jamie Wollin. The five will look to lead the Saint Benedict to a regular-season ending win over St. Olaf. The Blazers enter at 18-6 on the year and 16-5 in fourth place in the MIAC, while the Oles are 12-12 overall and 10-11 in league play, sitting seventh.
About St. Olaf: The Ole's dropped a narrow 47-45 decision to St. Thomas on Wednesday, eliminating them from postseason contention. After winning four of five through late January and into the first weekend in February, they have now dropped three of four to fall below .500 in MIAC play. Their recent struggles have not come without effort, though, as three of their last four losses have been by seven points or less to MIAC Tournament teams. They are led in scoring by a trio of players who each average 11.7 points per game, including Nikki Frogner who is third in the MIAC in field goal percentage, shooting 52.5% from the floor. Elisa Raney is also among the leaders with 8.8 points per game, while her 7.3 rebounds per game rank fourth in the MIAC. As a team, they allow just 57.5 points per game, the third best mark in the conference.
Last Meeting: When the two teams first met in Northfield on Jan. 19, the Blazers' scored a 72-56 win. The Blazers took a 35-21 lead into halftime and cruised in the second. They made their mark from behind arc, making a season high 12 three-pointers on the night, shooting 60% from long range to get there.
Whitney Canton's 18 points led the way, as the Blazers won their third straight.
The Storyline: Can the Blazers get a win to end their current two-game losing streak and reinvigorate the team heading into the MIAC Tournament? Seeding-wise, they are already locked into the fourth seed, and cannot move up or down regardless of what happens in the game. But it goes without saying that a win heading into the playoffs will sit better with the team than a three-game losing streak. There is also still the possibility of a second place finish in the MIAC standings, but the Blazers would need help, as Saint Mary's and St. Thomas would each need to lose.
Up Next: The Blazers will be back in Claire Lynch Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 19 as they open the MIAC Tournament. They will be the fourth seed, and will host either Gustavus or Hamline at 7:30 p.m. The Blazers split with the Gusties in the regular season, as each team scored late come-from-behind victories on the road. Against the Pipers, the Blazers swept, winning by 15 at home, and nine on the road. With a win on Tuesday, the Blazers would then hit the road to face Concordia on Feb. 21 in the semifinals.
Who To Watch: The Blazer Seniors. This group has been through highs and lows, probably unlike any class before them. They were part of a MIAC championship team in just their first season. As sophomores they again won 20 games, but last season saw the flip side, missing the MIAC Tournament with a 13-12 record. This year, they have been the backbone of a team that restored the Blazers to contenders in the MIAC, and can finish with a 20-win season for the third time in their four years.
Last Time Out: For the first time all season the Blazers lost back-to-back games, falling 70-62 at Saint Mary's. They led for nearly the entire first half, before the Cardinals went on a 11-to-2 run over the final 3:43 to led 36-32 going into halftime. In the second, the Blazers quickly tied the game at 41-41, but the Cardinals answered with a 15-to-4 run, and would not trail again. The Blazers outshot the Cardinals 53%-to-38% on the night, but were doomed by 22 turnovers, leading to 25 SMU points.
