ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Heading into Wednesday's MIAC matchup, Augsburg led the MIAC in scoring at 79.3 points per game.
 
The College of Saint Benedict basketball team paid no attention to that stat, and CSB's defense held the Auggies to a season-low 59 points en route to a 73-59 win in Claire Lynch Hall.
 
Saint Benedict's latest win pushes the team's record to 7-0, including a 3-0 streak in conference play. This marks the team's best start since 2003-04 when it went 7-0 to start the year and won 15 of its first 16 games.
 
Six different players scored for CSB to help the team start Wednesday's game on a 12-3 run, and a pair of free throws at the end of the first put Saint Benedict up 16-7 after one quarter. A pair of baskets by Niki Fokken made it a 10-point game early in the second quarter, and a layup by Chelsey Guetter later put CSB up 11, but Augsburg went on a 5-0 run to make it a six-point game, 23-17, midway through the second.
 
A three by Morgan Merritt pushed CSB's lead back to 10, but Augsburg got within seven, 35-28, to end the first half. The Auggies started the half with a pair of baskets to get within four, 35-31, but Alison Newton hit a three and Kate Banovetz scored to make it a nine-point game again. Augsburg got as close as four several times, and was within five – 50-45 – but a basket by Newton and two by Fokken early in the fourth made it a 10-point game, 60-50, and later Guetter and Newton each hit a pair of free throws and Augsburg never got closer than 10 the rest of the game.
 
Guetter tied her career-high with 18 points to lead CSB, which shot 45.6 percent from the field. Fokken added 14 points and Newton finished with 10. Guetter also had nine rebounds and three assists for CSB, which went 19-for-24 from the line and had 37 rebounds and 15 turnovers.
 
Aiza Wilson led Augsburg (7-2, 1-2) with 17 points and Tamira McLemore finished with 10. The Auggies shot 36.7 percent from the field, went 11-for-20 from the line and had 34 rebounds and 17 turnovers.
 
CSB is on the road for the first time since Nov. 15 this Saturday, Dec. 10, when they travel to St. Paul to take on No. 5 St. Thomas. The last time Saint Benedict beat USt was Jan. 12, 2013, when it upset the No. 3 Tommies 66-62 in Claire Lynch. The last time CSB beat UST on its home court in St. Paul was Feb. 13, 2010, when it won 60-51.