ST. PAUL, Minn. – It was a battle of two of the best defenses in the MIAC Saturday afternoon, and in the end, the College of Saint Benedict basketball team picked up its first loss of the year, 79-35, to No. 5 St. Thomas.
 
After attempting to reign in St. Thomas throughout the first half, CSB couldn't hold the No. 5 Tommies in during the second half. Saint Benedict shot just 25 percent from the field and scored in the single digits in two quarters in St. Paul.
 
St. Thomas (7-0, 4-0) jumped to an 11-2 lead in the first quarter, and led 15-5 after one. Chelsey Guetter scored on a layup and Kate Banovetz had a layup and a free throw for CSB's only points of the quarter.
 
Niki Fokken scored and Annie Dittberner hit a three early in the second to make it 18-10, but the Tommies made four straight three-point shots to push their lead to 15, 30-15, with two minutes left in the quarter, and led 36-15 at halftime.
 
Dittberner and Banovetz scored early in the third, but UST outscored CSB 22-6 in the third to pull ahead 51-28 after three quarters, and Saint Benedict never recovered.
 
Banovetz, Dittberner, Alex Johnson and Macy Kelly each scored five points to lead CSB, which shot just 25 percent from the field. Saint Benedict went 8-for-12 from the line and had 24 rebounds and 20 turnovers.
 
Three players scored in double digits for UST, which shot nearly 53 percent from the field and went 12-for-16 from the line. The Tommies had 40 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
 
CSB is in action once more before the holiday break Tuesday, Dec. 13, when it takes on UW-Eau Claire at 7 p.m. in Eau Claire, Wis.