NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Maddie Schmitz scored 21 points to lead the College of Saint Benedict basketball team Saturday in a win at Carleton College, but she had plenty of backup.
 
Schmitz was one of five CSB players to score in double digits in the team's 75-61 win over the Knights Saturday in Northfield. The victory marks the fifth straight for CSB, and the team's 10^th of the season. Saint Benedict is now 10-7 overall and 6-4 and in a four-way tie for third place in the MIAC.
 
The Knights (3-14, 0-10) weren't going to make CSB's fifth straight an easy one. Carleton went up by eight, 17-9, with just under four minutes left in the first quarter, before CSB went on a run to end the first tied at 19-19. Schmitz hit two free throws, Alex Johnson converted a three-point play, Breanna Gates hit a three and McKenzie Holgate hit two free throws as part of the run.
 
The lead went back and forth in the second quarter, and Saint Benedict took the largest lead of the quarter at 32-28 thanks to a layup from Shae Olsen with 1:13 left to play. Carleton scored late to make it a two-point game at halftime.
 
The game was tied three times to start the third quarter, the last time at 39-39 at the 5:24 mark. But Holgate hit a three and Megan Thompson scored to spark a 14-2 run that ended with a 53-41 lead for Saint Benedict with just over two minutes left in the third. Gates hit two free throws then scored on a layup after a steal by Olsen, and Holgate hit a three as part of the run.
 
The Knights cut the lead to eight, 53-45, heading into the fourth, but Johnson and Schmitz both hit two free throws to start the final quarter, then Sidney Schiffler hit back-to-back baskets to make it a 16-point game, 63-47, with 6:49 to play. Carleton got within 11, but CSB kept hitting its free throws and was able to hold onto the lead, and the win.
 
Schmitz went 6-for-6 from the line and hit a trio of threes as part of her 21 points, and she also had 11 rebounds. Johnson finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, Thompson had 11 points and Schiffler and Holgate both added 10 points. CSB shot 38 percent from the field and went 21-for-24 from the line – the second time in the last three games it has shot better than 80 percent from the line. The team had 42 rebounds and 13 turnovers.
 
Samantha Cooke paced Carleton with 24 points and Cece Leone had 14 points and eight rebounds. The Knights shot 37 percent from the field, went 12-for-18 from the line and had 39 rebounds and 16 turnovers.
 
CSB is on the road twice next week: it takes on Saint Mary's Wednesday in Winona and Hamline Saturday afternoon in St. Paul.