ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team used a balanced offensive performance and solid defensive play to extend its current winning streak to three games Saturday afternoon when it defeated Carleton College 58-49 at Claire Lynch Hall in St. Joseph, Minn.
The win put the Blazers, who are now 7-6 overall and 4-2 in the MIAC, in a three-way tie for second place in the conference. CSB, Gustavus and Concordia all have 4-2 MIAC records. The Blazers host the Gusties Saturday, Jan. 17.
Six players scored at least five points for Saint Benedict Saturday to help the Blazers hold on for a third straight conference victory. Both teams struggled from the field in the first half with CSB shooting 27.3 percent and Carleton (5-8, 3-3) shooting 29.2 percent, but CSB warmed up in the second half and shot 45.8 percent from the field.
The two teams battled for the lead early in the game, but
Tyla Wilder hit a three to put CSB up 8-6 with 12:50 left in the first half and give the Blazers a lead they would never give up.
Alison Newton and
Abby Miller hit back-to-back threes to put CSB up nine, 16-7, and a pair of free throws by
Elena Koch made it an 11-point game, 20-9, with just under nine minutes left in the first half.
Annie Dittberner added to the Blazers' three-point barrage to push the lead back to 10, and
Sydney Hughes scored to make it 26-16 with just under three minutes left in the half, but the Knights scored on a free throw and a 3-pointer to get within six, 26-20, at halftime.
Carleton scored to start the second half, but the Blazers responded with an 8-2 run that included six points from first year
Niki Fokken to push their lead back to 10, 34-24. A jumper by
Mattie Lueck made it a 12-point game for the first time, but the Knights never let CSB run away with the game. The Blazers maintained an 8- to 10-point lead throughout the remainder of the game, but Carleton hung around. The Knights cut the lead to six, 51-45, with 1:42 left on a jumper by Skylar Tsutsui, but Fokken scored and Dittberner hit a pair of free throws to seal the win.
Fokken finished with 13 points to pace CSB, which finished the game shooting 35.1 percent from the field. Newton added nine points, Dittberner and Miller each finished with eight and Lueck and Wilder each chipped in with five. Fokken also had seven rebounds and Lueck had three blocked shots. CSB went 12-for-18 from the line and had 43 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
Tsutsui scored 13 points to lead Carleton. Michele Arima added 11 and Nnenna Ezem finished with 10 points. Kayla Frank had a game-high 10 rebounds for the Knights, who shot 35 percent from the field and had 40 rebounds and 14 turnovers.
The Blazers return to action Wednesday, Jan. 14, when they travel to Winona, Minn., to take on Saint Mary's. The Cardinals are currently 3-3 in the MIAC.
