ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Friday night, the College of Saint Benedict's fate was decided early in a big win over Minnesota-Morris. Saturday afternoon, CSB had to wait until the game's final seconds to see what the outcome against UW-La Crosse would be.
 
Saint Benedict missed a shot with a one-point lead in the final 30 seconds Saturday against the Eagles, giving UWL the ball and plenty of time to shoot. But La Crosse missed its last-second shot and Saint Benedict held on for a 50-49 win to improve to 2-0 and win the team championship trophy at the Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament in Claire Lynch Hall.
 
The Eagles (1-1) led by three, 37-36, heading into the final quarter, but Haylee Fingalsen hit a 3-pointer to put CSB up 39-37 with just over eight minutes to play. The lead changed four times in the next five minutes, but a pair of free throws by Chelsey Guetter gave CSB the lead – ultimately for good – with 3:16 left. Fokken went 1-for-2 at the line, then hit a pair of free throws less than a minute later to put CSB up 50-45 with 1:48 left.
 
The Eagles scored on a layup then hit a pair of free throws with a minute left to make it a one-point game, but missed shots by both teams left the score the way it was to give CSB the win.
 
Both teams got off to a bit of a slow start, but it was CSB that eventually pulled ahead thanks in part to a pair of baskets by Maddie Schmitz and Alex Johnson. Saint Benedict led 16-12 after one quarter. Both teams went nearly four minutes without scoring in the second quarter, but a layup by Schmitz and a three by Guetter made it 28-19 CSB with a minute left, and CSB led 28-22 at the half.
 
CSB pushed its lead to eight, 34-26, on a jumper by Niki Fokken in the third, but the Eagles went on an 11-0 run to go up three, 37-34, with 1:29 left before Breanna Gates scored a layup to end the quarter and set up the final 10 minutes of action.
 
Guetter – who was named the tournament MVP – led the team for the second straight day with 13 points and she also had four rebounds. Fokken, who earned a spot on the all-tournament team, finished with 11 points and Alex Johnson had six rebounds. CSB shot just under 42 percent from the field and went 10-for-20 from the line. The team had 35 rebounds and 18 turnovers.
 
Elise DeNoyer led La Crosse with 14 points and nine rebounds. The Eagles shot 34 percent from the field, went 10-for-14 from the line and had 29 rebounds and 15 turnovers.
 
CSB is back at home one more time before Thanksgiving when it hosts UW-Superior at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, in Claire Lynch Hall.