ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team continued its hot streak to start the season Wednesday night when it kicked off MIAC play with a 60-53 win over St. Kate's.
The win pushes CSB's record to 5-0 so far in 2016-17, marking the first time Saint Benedict has started the season with five straight wins since 2003-04.
Wednesday's win was a balanced effort as three players scored in double digits for CSB, two more had nine points and two more added at least one point for the team. That balance showed early in the game as six different players scored in the first quarter, including
Morgan Merritt who hit a three in the final 1:19 of the first half to put CSB up 14-9 after the first quarter.
The Wildcats (3-2, 0-1) held their own in the second, and made it a four-point game – 32-28 at halftime, but points were few and far between for St. Kate's in the third quarter.
Neither team scored for nearly three minutes to start the third quarter, and CSB held the Wildcats to just two points in the first nine minutes and 30 seconds of the quarter. Saint Benedict outscored St. Kate's 10-2 to start the third, including a jumper by Merritt to make it a 12-point game with 54 seconds left. The Wildcats converted a three-point play to end the quarter, but CSB led 42-33.
Annie Dittberner hit a three to spark a 7-2 run to start the fourth and put CSB up 49-35, but St. Kate's mounted a run of its own and made it a five-point game, 51-46, with 4:36 remaining. A layup with 1:16 left cut CSB's lead to four, 55-51, but Dittberner went 4-for-4 from the line and
Chelsey Guetter added a free throw in the final minute of play to seal the win.
Niki Fokken finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds to lead CSB, which shot 44.4 percent from the field, including 8-of-17 from long range. Dittberner and Merritt each added 11 points and Guetter and
Kate Banovetz finished with nine.
Alison Newton had six assists. CSB outrebounded the Wildcats 39-23, but had 28 turnovers to St. Kate's 17.
LaShay Holt led all scorers with 15 points for St. Kate's and she also had six rebounds. The Wildcats shot 36.7 percent from the field and went 4-for-6 from the line. CSB went 12-for-19 from the line.
CSB is back at home twice more before hitting the road, including this Saturday, Dec. 3, when it hosts Carleton at 3 p.m.
