| Box Score |
 
Arden Hills, Minn. – The Saint Benedict basketball team suffered a 63-59 loss today (Jan. 4), in its first game back after the semester break.
 
It was a close game all night, with the scored tied at 56-56 with 6:36 to play, but the host Royals scored the next six points on their way to the lead and the win.
 
Bethel (7-1, 5-0 MIAC) stays perfect in MIAC play with the win, continuing their hot start to the season.
 
The Blazers (5-4, 2-4 MIAC) fall for the second straight time, and fall two games below the .500 mark in conference play. After starting 3-0 in the nonconference season, the Blazers have now lost two, won two and lost two in league action.
 
For the second straight game, Mattie Lueck finished as the only player in double figures, scoring 15 to run her career high streak to four straight games in double figures. While Lueck was the only player over 10 points, sister Emily Lueck was just one point away with nine, while nine different players finished the game with at least two points.
 
Adding seven points while starring on the defensive end was Morgan Dale, who racked up a career high and CSB record-tying 21 rebounds on the day. Dale pulled down 10 on the offensive end and another 11 on defense. She becomes the third player in program history with 21 boards in a game, but is the first since Mickey Jurewicz accomplished the feat in the 1990-91 season.
 
In the second half it was the Blazers who held the lead for much of the period, before the Royals tied it up late on their way to the win. The Blazers opened the period with a one-point edge at 37-36 and opened it up to as much as seven, when they took a 52-45 lead on a Mattie Lueck jumper at the 14:15 mark.
 
The second half was a contrast to the first, where it was Royals leading for much of the way – up by as much as nine -  before the Blazers pulled ahead to head in to the break.
 
With the loss, CSB now returns home to host Augsburg on Monday (Jan. 6), needing to get back in the win column. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.