Minneapolis – The Saint Benedict basketball team dropped a 64-56 decision on the road to Augsburg on Wednesday night (Feb. 5).
 
The Blazers (10-9, 7-9 MIAC) struggled from the floor while the Auggies (9-10, 6-10 MIAC) improved as the game went on. In the first half, CSB shot 36% (10-of-28) from the field, but that mark fell to just 30% (9-of-30) in the second.
 
Meanwhile, Augsburg opened the game with a 39% (12-of-31) mark from the field jumping out to a 30-26 lead at the break. In the second half they hit 44% (11-of-25) of their field goals in locking up the win.

Despite their shooting woes, the Blazers still led for most of the first half, but after they went up 21-14 on a Brianna Barrett (Annandale, Minn.) three-point play at the 9:38 mark, the Auggies, responded with a 16-to-5 run to close the half up by four.
 
The Blazers quickly regained the lead in the second, and held it as late as the 6:00 mark, but a 6-to-0 Auggie run in the final five minutes gave them the lead for good.
 
Augsburg also hit 47% (7-of-15) of their shots from behind the arc, compared to a 25% (6-of-25) tally for the Blazers.
 
On the boards, the Auggies held a 44-to-34 edge, which included 17 on the offensive end that they would turn into 10 points.
 
The Blazers were led by Tish Alexander (Minneapolis) who scored 16 points on the night, tying her highest output of the season. She was joined in double figures by Barrett and Mattie Lueck (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) with 14 and 12 points respectively.
 
Saint Benedict has now lost a season-high three straight, and must remain on the road as they look to break out of their slump. The head to St. Olaf on Saturday (Feb. 8) for a 3 p.m. match-up with the Oles.
 
The Blazers took the first meeting this season in St. Joseph, 66-51 and will need to get the sweep as they look to get back in the playoff race. They remain in seventh place in the MIAC standings, but are now two wins behind Gustavus in sixth, and just a game ahead of the Auggies in eighth.