ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team overcame a slow first half to end its 2014 home schedule with a 47-42 win against Martin Luther College Tuesday night.
 
The Blazers had just 15 points at halftime after shooting 21.4 percent from the field, but put together several runs and started hitting baskets in the second to pull away for the win. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak and pushed CSB's overall record to 3-4 with one game left to play before the holiday break.
 
After getting down by as many as 11, 30-19, early in the second half, Saint Benedict started to find its groove thanks to a 3-pointer by Jordan Falk. That long-range shot sparked a 15-3 run that spanned nearly nine minutes and ended with the Blazers up 34-33 with 6:43 left to play.
 
After Macy Kelly gave CSB the lead – its first since Niki Fokken scored the first basket of the game – the Knights (1-7) took a brief lead on a jumper by Leah Nass. But Falk and Abby Miller each hit a free throw and Mattie Lueck scored to push CSB's lead back to three, 38-35, with 3:34 remaining.
 
Martin Luther cut the Blazers' lead to three, including 43-40 on a pair of free throws by Erin Schmeling with 35 seconds left and again at 45-42 on another set of free throws by Scheling with 24 seconds, but Miller went 4-for-4 from the line in the final 33 seconds to seal the win for CSB.
 
Both teams struggled in the first half as neither team shot better than 25 percent from the field. The Blazers shot 21.4 percent and recorded 13 turnovers in the first half. The Knights never led by more than five points until Grace Schultz hit a three to put MLC up 16-10 with 8:02 left in the half. Schmeling pushed the Knights' lead to eight, and they held a six-point lead, 21-15 at the half.
 
Martin Luther pushed its lead to 10 thanks to a pair of free throws and a layup by Schmeling early in the first half. Annie Dittberner hit a three to make it a seven-point game, but Schmeling responded with a three and scored again a few minutes later to give Martin Luther an 11-point lead – its biggest of the game – before the Blazers went on their run.
 
Lueck finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Blazers, who ended the game shooting 28.8 percent from the field. Miller added nine points and Kelly had 11 rebounds. Saint Benedict went 15-for-26 from the line, outrebounded the knights 51-45 and had 21 turnovers.
 
Schmeling led all scorers with 25 points for the Knights, who shot 19.4 percent from the field. Faith Schroeder had 10 rebounds. Martin Luther went 15-for-19 from the line and had 19 turnovers.
 
The Blazers are at St. Kate's Saturday to end the 2014 portion of their MIAC season. That is also their last game before the holiday break. From there, CSB is off until it plays at the Wartburg Tournament Dec. 29-30.