ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Carleton took away the College of Saint Benedict basketball team's inside game Monday night, so the Bennies went to their long-range plan.

CSB hit nine 3-pointers – including three in the final 1:26 of play to tie the game and then get within one, but it wasn't enough as the Knights came away with a 64-63 win in Claire Lynch Hall. The loss marks the first of the season for Saint Benedict, which is now 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the MIAC.
 
The first three in the final minute and a half of the game came from Sidney Schiffler, and tied the game at 57-57. That marked the seventh tie of the game, and gave CSB the opportunity to take its first lead since the 3:47 mark of the third quarter. But Katie Chavez hit a pair of free throws, scored on a layup then hit one more free throw to put Carleton up five, 62-57, with 21 seconds left.
 
The second three also came from Schiffler – this one at the 18-second mark to get the Bennies within two, 62-60. But Chavez was fouled again, and hit two more free throws to make it a four-point game, 64-60. CSB's final long-range shot of the game came from Shae Olsen with four seconds left to get the Bennies within one, 64-63. Chavez missed both her free throws after being fouled a third time, but a last-second three-point attempt from CSB hit the side of the rim and the Knights (3-5, 1-3) were able to hang on for the win.
 
Carleton was able to keep CSB's offense slowed down and its inside game out of commission much of the game Monday. The Knights led 9-3 early before Megan Thompson scored, hit a three then hit two free throws to put CSB up 10-9. She scored again a few minutes later to make it a three-point game, but Chavez hit two free throws and the Knights got one more free throw and a late layup to go up 15-12 after one quarter.
 
Schiffler tied the game with a three to start the second, and that was the only scoring until Alex Johnson scored in the pain at the 7:14 mark of the second. Olsen scored and Maddie Schmitz scored inside to put CSB up three, 21-18, but that's the biggest lead it could muster. Chavez and Haylee Fingalsen traded threes to tie the game at 24-24, and a pair of late free throws gave the Knights a 28-26 halftime lead.
 
Carleton led by five early in the third, but that was the biggest lead for either team in the quarter. A three from Schiffler later tied the score at 33-33, and after the Knights tied the score 38-38 with 2:58 left in the third, no one scored again until Carleton drained a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the quarter to take a 41-38 lead into the final 10 minutes of play.
 
The Knights used a short run to quickly push their lead to nine, 47-38, with 8:32 to play, but Paris Rasheed-Moore and Johnson both scored in the pain, then Johnson hit two free throws and McKenzie Holgate hit one to get within two, 47-45, with 6:30 left. Rasheed-Moore got CSB within one again, 48-47, before Carleton gained a five-point lead with 5:08 left. A three from Megan Thompson made it a two-point game before the Knights pushed their lead back to five, and later two free throws from Johnson and a three from Schiffler tied the game to set up the final 1:26 of play.
 
Schiffler hit four 3-pointers and she and Thompson both finished with 12 points. Nine of Thompson's 12 points came in the first half. Johnson added nine points and six rebounds for CSB, which shot 39.3 percent from the field. CSB had 29 rebounds, 12 turnovers and went 10-for-16 from the line.
 
Chavez led all scorers with 22 points and also had seven rebounds for Carleton, which shot 50 percent from the field and went 16-for-24 from the line. Jill Yanai added 14 points and Chavez also had five steals. The Knights had 32 rebounds and 17 turnovers.
 
CSB is back at home once more before the end of the semester when it hosts Gustavus at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, in Claire Lynch.