SUPERIOR, Wis. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team doubled down on defense and knocked down several key baskets to secure a 61-54 win at UW-Superior Tuesday night in Superior, Wis.
Superior kept things close, and looked to knock off a second straight MIAC team after beating St. Scholastica last week, but the Bennies held strong to improve to 4-0 heading into the Thanksgiving break.
After CSB took a 32-25 lead into halftime, the Yellowjackets (1-4) tied the game at 44-44 late in the third on a 3-pointer in the final 35 seconds of the quarter.
Madison Doran scored on the fastbreak after a steal from
Carla Meyer to end the third with the Bennies up two, and CSB used that momentum as the Yellowjackets kept pushing in the fourth.
Lydia Hay and Doran both scored to start the final quarter and make it a six-point game, but Superior cut the gap to three, and later down to one, 52-51, with 4:22 left to play.
Olivia Boily scored on a layup to stop the run and push CSB's lead back to three, and after a single free throw made it a two-point game, 54-52, with 3:38 remaining, the Bennies took control.
Tori Szathmary scored and
Gabby Martin converted a three-point play to make it 59-52 with 2:14 left, and Meyer ended the scoring with two separate free throws in the final minute of play. Doran and Meyer both had steals in the final 33 seconds to help keep Superior from scoring.
Meyer – who recorded a career-high 18 points – started the game with a three and a fastbreak layup as part of an early run to put the Bennies up 9-1. The Yellowjackets bounced back and took a 12-9 lead, but Meyer answered with a three and later scored on a fastbreak to help CSB take a slim lead, 16-15, into the second.
Meyer scored and Martin converted her first three-point play of the game early in the second to give the Bennies a 23-16 lead, and CSB pushed the lead to 10 on a free throw from Doran with 6:55 left in the half. CSB led 32-25 at halftime before the Yellowjackets outscored CSB 19-14 in the third to make it a two-point game heading into the final quarter.
Meyer tied her career-high with eight rebounds and also added three steals to go along with her 18 points. Martin finished with 14 points and Doran had 10 points and four steals. Hay led the defense with 11 rebounds. The Bennies shot 41.5 percent from the field, went 15-for-29 from the line and had 39 rebounds and 19 turnovers.
Brianna O'Donnell and Allie Zimmer both had 10 points for Superior, and Zimmer also had five rebounds. The Yellowjackets shot just 28.8 percent from the field, went 16-for-22 from the line and had 41 rebounds and 19 turnovers.
CSB is off now until Wednesday, Dec. 1, when it returns home and gets back into MIAC play when it hosts Saint Mary's at 7 p.m. in Claire Lynch.
