ST. PAUL, Minn. – For the second straight game, the College of Saint Benedict basketball team had the chance to make a move at the end of the game, but the team's late rally fell short.
Down 13 points with 1:44 left to play against Hamline, CSB cut that lead to four with 28 seconds left to play, but couldn't score again in a 67-60 loss to the Pipers Saturday afternoon in St. Paul.
The loss puts Saint Benedict's record at 10-9 overall and an even 6-6 in the MIAC. CSB and Hamline are currently tied for sixth in the conference standings.
The Pipers (11-8, 6-6) scored on a layup with 1:44 left to play to go up 63-50 on CSB. But
Megan Thompson responded immediately with a jumper and
Breanna Gates scored to spark a 10-1 run that ended with Hamline's lead cut to four, 64-60, with 28 seconds left. The three from
McKenzie Holgate that cut the lead to four were the last points CSB would score, however, and the Pipers hit three of four free-throw attempts in the final 20 seconds of play to seal the win.
Neither team was able to grab a lead of more than three points in the first quarter, and it was CSB that led 11-8 after one thanks to a pair of late free throws from
Maddie Schmitz. Thompson scored twice and
Alex Johnson added a jump shot to put CSB up 17-8 to start the second quarter, which would prove to be its largest lead of the game. The Pipers responded with a short run to cut the lead to two, and took a two-point lead into halftime – 27-25 – thanks to two free throws of their own.
Gates and Johnson scored to start the third, but Hamline responded, and was able to hold onto at least a slim lead throughout the rest of the third quarter. The Pipers led 42-39 heading into the fourth, and used a pair of threes to push that to nine. Thompson hit a three to make it a six-point game, 48-42, but that's as close as CSB was able to get until the final minute of play.
Thompson had 16 points and Johnson had 15 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots to lead CSB, which shot 33.3 percent from the field. Gates also had 12 points and Schmitz had 10 rebounds. Saint Benedict went 12-for-18 from the line and had 42 rebounds and 11 turnovers.
Reilly Geistfeld paced Hamline with 21 points and 17 rebounds and two other players also scored in double digits. The Pipers shot 36 percent from the field – including 54.5 percent in the fourth quarter – and went 17-for-28 from the line. They had 53 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
CSB returns home Wednesday, Jan. 30, when it hosts Bethel – which is currently third in the league – at 7 p.m. in Claire Lynch. Saint Benedict will also celebrate National Girls and Women in Sport Day at halftime of the game, and will honor Nancy Frost Bellmont for her contributions to CSB athletics. All girls and women wearing a sports jersey get into the game for free.
