ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team got its season off to a fast start Friday night with a 68-46 win over Minnesota-Morris in the second game of the Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament in Claire Lynch Hall.
After a tight first quarter that went back and forth and ended in 10-10 tie, Saint Benedict (1-0) took control in the second. A
Niki Fokken jumper put CSB up for good, then
Kate Banovetz scored two baskets and
Courtney Nelson hit a three as part of a 22-0 CSB run to put Saint Benedict up 32-10.
The Cougars (0-2) didn't score until Bailey Miller hit a three with 1:31 left in the quarter, and Morris finished the quarter with just four points. Three different players hit threes for CSB in the second quarter, and
Alex Johnson had six points. First year
Maddie Schmitz had five points – including a three – in the second.
Morris hit a pair of threes early in the third quarter, but
Chelsey Guetter had two straight buckets and Schmitz converted a three-point play to push the lead back to 19, and a jumper by Johnson made it 48-27 with 2:33 left in the third. Guetter wrapped up the quarter with a three.
Banovetz scored two straight baskets to set the tone in the fourth quarter, and Saint Benedict was able to ride out the rest of the game to pick up its first win of the young season.
Guetter finished with a game-high 15 points and 12 rebounds – 10 of which came on the offensive glass. Johnson had a career-high 12 points and Banovetz finished with 10 points. Guetter and
Megan Thompson both had four assists. CSB shot 37 percent from the field – including 6-for-18 from long range – and went 8-for-10 from the line. Saint Benedict outrebounded Morris 45-31and had 11 turnovers to the Cougars' 26.
Miller and Kendra Raths both finished with 10 points to lead Morris, which shot 36.4 percent from the field but hit 10 3-pointers. Abby Van Kempen had 12 of the team's 31 rebounds. The Cougars went 4-for-6 from the line.
Saint Benedict returns to action at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, when it hosts UW-La Crosse. The Eagles beat Saint Mary's 67-59 Friday night. SMU takes on Morris at 1 p.m. in the first game of the day.
