NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team struggled to score in the first half Saturday afternoon, and that proved costly in a 66-49 loss to Carleton in Northfield.
 
The Bennies made eight field goals in the first half and shot 26 percent from the field in the second game of the season against the Knights. Saint Benedict is now 8-9 overall and 4-8 in the MIAC.
 
After a cold-shooting first half, Carleton led CSB 23-10. The two teams combined to score five points in the first six minutes of the second quarter, and a pair of jumpers from Megan Thompson got the Bennies within 10, 28-18 with just over 3:30 left in the half. Sidney Schiffler scored to get CSB within nine with 42 seconds left, but the Knights hit a pair of free throws to take a 33-22 lead into the second half.
 
Baskets by Maddie Schmitz and Madison Doran got Saint Benedict within 10 early in the third quarter, but after getting within 40-30, Samantha Cooke scored nine straight points for the Knights, and Carleton led 49-32 at the end of the third.
 
Doran hit back-to-back baskets and CSB started the final quarter on a 9-2 run to get back within 10, 51-41, but that's as close as the team would get.
 
Thompson finished with 12 points to lead CSB, which shot 30 percent from the field. Doran added 10 points and Johnson led the team with five rebounds. CSB went 8-for-15 from the line and had 33 rebounds and just eight turnovers.
 
Cooke scored 26 points to lead the Knights (6-11, 3-9), which shot 41.8 percent from the field. Jill Yanai had 11 of the team's 46 rebounds, and Carleton went 12-for-14 from the line and committed 15 turnovers.
 
CSB is back on the road once more before coming back home. The Bennies are in action Wednesday, Jan. 29, when they head to St. Peter to take on Gustavus.