ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – In its season-opening win against Minnesota-Morris Saturday afternoon, key shots helped the College of Saint Benedict basketball team hold on to a slim lead to defeat the Cougars. Sunday against UW-River Falls, those big shots wouldn't fall for the Blazers.
CSB lost 49-39 to Wisconsin-River Falls Sunday in the fourth and final game of the Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament. The Blazers shot just 25.9 percent from the field, including 12.5 percent from long range, and were outrebounded 48-34 by the Falcons.
The Falcons got off to a quick start, and led 9-0 less than four minutes into the first half against the Blazers.
Abby Miller hit a three to get CSB on the board, but River Falls responded with a three to make it 14-5. Miller hit a pair of free throws to spark a 10-2 Blazer run that ended with CSB down one, 16-15. Back-to-back baskets by
Mattie Lueck and Allison Newton gave the Blazers their first lead, 19-18, with 5:53 left in the first half.
Another basket by Lueck gave the Blazers a three-point lead, but River Falls responded with a 7-2 run to end the half with a 25-22 lead.
The Falcons (1-1) hit a three to open the scoring in the second half, and didn't let the Blazers get any closer than five points when
Emily Lueck scored to make it 32-27. River Falls pushed its lead to 12, 39-27, with 9:22 to play, and a basket by Taylor Karge made it 45-29 with 7:01 left in the game.
A jumper by Ke'Avae Taylor made it a 12-point game and later a three by
Emily Lueck made it an 11-point game, 49-38, with 1:19 left, but it wasn't enough for Saint Benedict.
Emily Lueck and Miller both finished with nine points for the Blazers, who went 14-for-54 from the field.
Mattie Lueck added six points and
Emily Lueck led the team with five rebounds and three assists. CSB went 9-for-12 from the line and had 17 turnovers.
Karge led all scorers with 15 points for the Falcons and Richell Mehus had 10 rebounds. River Falls shot 29.2 percent from the field, including 18.2 percent from long range, and went 7-for-7 from the line. The Falcons had 19 turnovers.
Emily Lueck and Mehus were both named to the Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament All-Tournament team along with Minnesota-Morris' Tori Holt and Saint Mary's Shelby Auseth. The Cardinals' Bridget Pethke was tournament MVP. Saint Mary's beat Morris 68-65 in Sunday's first game.
The Blazers are now 1-1 overall and head to Seattle, Wash., for a pair of nonconference games. CSB takes on the University of Puget Sound at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, and Pacific Lutheran at 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22.
