WASHINGTON, D.C. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team started its East Coast trip with a 55-47 loss to FDU-Florham Thursday afternoon at a holiday classic hosted by Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
CSB, which shot just under 30 percent from the field – including 23 percent in the second half – is now 7-3 overall and has lost three straight games. This comes after Saint Benedict started 7-0 for the first time since 2002-03.
The two teams were tied at 25 at halftime, and CSB used jumpers from
Annie Dittberner and
Kate Banovetz to take a four-point lead, 34-30, with 5:43 left in the third quarter. From there, however, CSB wouldn't score again until
Chelsey Guetter hit a pair of free throws with just 45 seconds left in the quarter, and FDU headed into the fourth with a 41-36 lead.
Sidney Schiffler hit a three to start the fourth and make it a four-point game, and Banovetz scored with five minutes left in the quarter to make it a two-point game, 44-42, but that's as close as Saint Benedict would get. Florham went on a 7-2 run to go up 51-44, then went 4-for-4 from the line in the final 33 seconds of the game to seal the win.
FDU (8-2) led by as many as eight midway through the second quarter, but Banovetz and Dittberner each scored a pair of baskets to tie the game at 25-25 at halftime.
Dittberner and Banovetz both finished with 10 points to lead CSB and Schiffler and
Macy Kelly each added nine. Guetter led CSB with eight rebounds and Kelly had seven. CSB went 8-for-14 from the line and had 41 rebounds and 22 turnovers.
Three players scored in double digits for FDU, including Alyssa McDonough who led both teams with 17 points. Rachel Groom led all players with 14 rebounds. Florham shot 40 percent from the field, went 17-for-28 from the line and had 32 rebounds and 21 turnovers.
CSB plays one last game in D.C. Friday, Dec. 30, when it takes on Washington & Jefferson at noon CDT in the final day of the holiday classic. Washington & Jefferson fell 76-64 to host-school Catholic University Thursday afternoon.
