Live Stats/Video |
Listen Live Online | Live audio on AM1010 or 106.5FM in St. Cloud
ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team is off to its best start in six years, and the Blazers look to keep their hot start going Saturday afternoon when they host St. Olaf College. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Claire Lynch Hall.
Saint Benedict enters this afternoon's game 5-1 overall and 1-0 in the MIAC, marking CSB's best start since 2010-11, when it also started 5-1. That season, the Blazers won 15 of their first 16 games.
As well as being the best start in several years, the Blazers are also chasing history as they continue MIAC play. Heading into the 2015-16 season, CSB was 497-136 in MIAC play, leaving the Blazers three wins shy of 500 MIAC wins since joining the league in 1985. A win over Carleton Wednesday to start conference play has CSB two wins shy of the 500 milestone.
The Oles are also 5-1 overall and 1-0 in the league after a win at Augsburg to start the MIAC season. St. Olaf's one loss came to Wartburg in its first game of the season. Since the 73-49 loss on Nov. 15, the Oles are on a five-game winning streak, including a 64-58 win over the Auggies. Betsey Daly leads the team with 15.5 points per game and Makenna Ash averages 8.4 rebounds per game. Lauren Gutierrez is averaging 3.5 assists per game.
CSB is on a three-game winning streak heading into Saturday's matchup. The Blazers won a close game on the road at Martin Luther, came from behind to beat UW-Superior and then open MIAC play with a dominant performance against Carleton. All five of CSB's starters scored at least eight points against the Knights, led by 10 points from
Annie Dittberner and
Grace Wolhowe.
Chelsey Guetter added nine points and seven rebounds,
Niki Fokken had eight points and nine rebounds and
Alison Newton finished with eight points.
Dittberner leads the team in scoring at 11 points per game, and Wolhowe (10.8) and Fokken (10) also average double digits. Guetter is averaging a team-high 7.8 rebounds per game and Wolhowe is third in the league with a .560 three-point percentage.
All Blazer basketball games can be heard live in the St. Cloud area on AM 1010 or 106.5 FM, or online at uptown1010.com.
