WINONA, Minn. – After a pair of tough conference losses, the College of Saint Benedict basketball team got back on track Wednesday with a 69-53 win at Saint Mary's. The road win completes the season sweep of the Cardinals for CSB, which won a close game against SMU earlier this season.
After a close first quarter, the Bennies (9-5, 6-5) went on an 11-1 run to start the second and snag a 23-12 lead with seven minutes left in the half. The Cardinals answered with a short run of their own, but CSB still led 26-21 at halftime.
Saint Mary's (4-11, 3-9) got within three early in the third, but
Gabby Martin and
Sophia Jonas each hit 3-pointers to keep the Cardinals at bay. A quick SMU run made it a two-point game, 34-32, midway through the third, but
Carla Meyer hit back-to-back threes to push the Bennies' lead to eight, 40-32. Another three from Jonas gave CSB a double-digit lead with just under two minutes left in the third, and a layup from Martin put CSB up 52-41 heading into the final quarter.
Scoring was limited for both teams to start the fourth.
Tori Szathmary hit two free throws at the 9:20 mark, Saint Mary's scored on a jumper at the 7:19 mark and neither team scored again until Martin scored on a fastbreak layup with 5:16 left to play.
Martin's layup sparked a quick 10-0 run that included back-to-back threes from Meyer once again, and from there the Bennies held on for the win.
Meyer finished with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Bennies, who shot 42 percent from the field. Martin added 14 points, Jonas had 13 and Szathmary had six rebounds. CSB hit 11 3-pointers, went 4-for-7 from the line and had 35 rebounds and 11 turnovers.
Brooklyn Paulson scored 19 points and Jada Biermeier pulled down nine rebounds to lead SMU, which shot 36 percent from the field and hit seven threes. The Cardinals went 6-for-10 from the line and had 40 rebounds and 17 turnovers.
CSB is back at home Saturday, Jan. 22, when it hosts St. Scholastica at 1 p.m. That marks the final home game before a three-game road trip for the Bennies.
