WINONA, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team used a late push to try and extend its three-game winning streak Wednesday night, but Saint Mary's held on for a 63-59 win in Winona, Minn.
 
The Blazers (7-7, 4-3 MIAC) led by a point, 49-48, thanks to a jumper by Mattie Lueck with 5:02 left to play. The Cardinals (10-4, 4-3) took the lead for good less than 30 seconds later on a three by Shelby Auseth. Saint Mary's pushed its lead to six, but Lueck hit a three with 2:44 remaining to cut the gap to three, 55-52.
 
After Lueck's three, the Cardinals went on an 8-2 run to go up nine, 63-54, with 31 seconds left in the game. Lueck hit another three to make it a six-point game with 12 seconds left, and Annie Dittberner hit a pair of free throws with three seconds left to make it a four-point game, but it wasn't enough.
 
The Cardinals took an early lead to start the game, but Abby Miller hit back-to-back threes to put CSB up three, 7-4. The Blazers held onto the lead until Molly O'Toole hit a three to put SMU up 20-19. CSB briefly regained the lead, but the Cardinals went on an 8-0 run to go up 28-21 with six minutes left in the half. The Blazers responded to that run with an 11-2 run of their own, which started with a 3-pointer from Dittberner and ended with a bucket by Niki Fokken to give CSB a 32-30 lead at halftime.
 
Saint Benedict went on a 6-0 run to start the second half and snag a 38-30 lead, but the Cardinals came back with a 13-3 run to go up 43-41 with just under 11 minutes to play. The Blazers tied the game a few minutes later and took one last lead with just over five minutes to play, but Saint Mary's held on for the win.
 
Lueck finished with 20 points to pace CSB, which shot 35.5 percent from the field. Fokken added nine points and eight rebounds and Emily Lueck added seven points. The Blazers went 10-for-14 from the line and had 42 rebounds and 16 turnovers.
 
O'Toole finished with 15 points to lead Saint Mary's and Auseth added 11. Micaela Meredith and Kayla Lardy each added 10 points and Emma Schaefer finished with eight rebounds. The Cardinals shot just under 38 percent from the field, went 12-for-16 from the line and had 41 rebounds and 16 turnovers.
 
The Blazers are back at home Saturday, Jan. 17, when they host Gustavus Adolphus at 3 p.m. in Claire Lynch Hall.