The College of Saint Benedict basketball team started the 2016-17 season with a 54-53 win at UW-Superior Tuesday night in Superior, Wis.
CSB was down 15-6 after the first quarter, and Superior - which won the UMAC and advanced to the NCAA Division III National Tournament in 2015-16 - led by as many as 14 in the second quarter, but Saint Benedict outscored the Yellowjackets 11-2 in the final 2:33 of the second to cut the gap to five, 26-21, at halftime.
Niki Fokken started the scoring in the second half to make it a three-point game, 26-23, and baskets by
Annie Dittberner,
Alex Johnson and
Kate Banovetz put CSB up one, 31-30, midway through the third quarter. Superior regained the lead, and tied the score at 38 at halftime, but
Chelsey Guetter and
Alison Newton each hit big threes in the fourth to help keep CSB ahead. Superior hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it a one-point game, but Saint Benedict's lead held up.
Guetter and Newton led the team with 11 points each and Banovetz finished with 10. Guetter also had eight rebounds and Banovetz had six, and Guetter led the team with five assists. CSB shot just over 44 percent from the field and went 7-for-14 from the line.
CSB is at home for the first time this season Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18-19, when it hosts the Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Classic. The classic starts with a neutral game at 6 p.m. Friday when Saint Mary's takes on UW-Stout, and CSB opens its home season at 8 p.m. against Martin Luther. Saint Mary's plays Martin Luther at 1 p.m. Saturday, and Saint Benedict hosts UW-Stout at 3 p.m.
