ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – To open the new year, the College of Saint Benedict Basketball Team (8-1, 5-1 MIAC) will take a six-game winning streak into a road game at St. Catherine (6-2 4-2 MIAC) as MIAC play reopens at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, Jan. 4 in St. Paul, Minn.

As the MIAC schedule reopens after the holiday break, the Bennies sit in a four-way tie with Gustavus, Hamline, and Bethel at the top of the league with a 5-1 record. CSB faces a St. Catherine's squad which has two straight nonconference wins over Wisconsin-Superior, 69-47; and Finlandia, 91-82.

Quick Look - Season
CSB has opened the season with an 8-1 record, including 5-1 in MIAC play as they are tied with three other teams for first in the MIAC. The Bennies started the 2022-23 season with a pair of road wins, including a 57-52 decision over Minnesota Morris and a 63-59 overtime win at St. Olaf which opened MIAC play.  In the home opener on Nov. 22 against Gustavus, CSB dropped a 64-47 decision. Since then, CSB has wins over St. Scholastica, 77-50; Augsburg, 82-68;  Macalester, 67-52; and topped Hamline, 53-52, to move into a tie for first place in the league. The Augsburg and Macalester wins were at home at Claire Lynch Hall. In a battle for the top of the MIAC Sophia Jonas hit the game-winning lay-up and Hannah Johnson had a career-best performance of 11 points and 13 rebounds to lead CSB to a dramatic 53-52 MIAC decision over Hamline on Dec. 10 on the road. Then on Dec. 18-19, the Bennies won a pair of games in Hawaii – 64-44 over Worcester State and 69-58 over DePauw.

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Series Notes
This will be the 58^th meeting between the schools with CSB owning a 51-6 lead. In the last matchup, the Bennies won, 57-55,  on Feb. 14, 2022. From Dec. 3, 1982 until Feb. 1, 2006, Saint Ben's won 28 straight games. The Bennies stand 30-2 in home game and 21-4 at St. Kate's with an overall 46-6 conference record. In the first matchup CSB took a 73-33 win on Dec. 3, 1982.

Breaking Down Saint Catherine
St. Catherine is led by fifth-year head coach Don Mulhern, who formerly was a two-time WIAC Coach of the Year at Wisconsin-Superior. He has led his team to a 6-2 start, including 4-2 in league play. The Wildcats opened the season with a 56-43 home loss to Hamline before recording wins over Carleton, Macalester, St. Scholastica and Saint Mary's. The winning streak ended in a 62-53 road loss to St. Olaf but the Wildcats have bounced back with two consecutive nonconference wins. This year, the Wildcats are averaging 57.6 points per game for 10^th in the MIAC and allowing just 53.8 for fourth in the league. Emme Golembiewski leads the team with 9.4 points and 6.0 rebounds with Greta Schimnowski at 7.4 points and 3.4 rebounds.
  
CSB Schedule Breakdown 
After Jan. 1, 2023, CSB plays 15 games starting with the road trip to St. Catherine on Jan. 4.  CSB will also face Saint Mary's on the road on Saturday, Jan. 7 followed by two home games against Concordia U on Jan. 11 and Bethel on Jan. 14 at Claire Lynch Hall. The MIAC Tournament Championship begins on Feb. 21 with the quarterfinals. The league title game is 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25.
  
SEASON BREAKDOWN

Jonas earns consecutive MIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors
Sophia Jonas, who averaged 14.0 points, hit 50 percent from the field and hit the game-winner against Hamline, was named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Basketball Offensive Player of the Week on Dec. 12. A sophomore accounting major from Hudson, Wis., Jonas has become the first-ever CSB Basketball player to earn back-to-back MIAC weekly honors. She is the 30^th overall CSB basketball student-athlete to earn a MIAC player of the week honor in program history. She was also named the CSB Athlete of the Week on Monday (Dec. 12). Jonas, who was also honored by the MIAC as Offensive Player of the Week on Dec. 5, helped lead the Bennies to a 67-52 win over Macalester on Dec. 7 at Claire Lynch Gym and a thrilling 53-52 win on the road over Hamline on Dec. 10.

CSB opened season with win over Minnesota Morris
Sophomore Sophia Jonas knocked down five threes and scored 15 points to lead CSB past Minnesota-Morris, 57-52, on Nov. 12 on the road. Both Olivia Boily (12 points and 7 rebounds) and Abigail Kubouchek (10 points and 7 rebounds) had career-highs in points and helped CSB to a 22-14 advantage in bench scoring. With the win, CSB improved its series lead over UMM to 12-3 with a 12^th straight win in the series.

Bennies win MIAC opener in overtime at St. Olaf
Carla Meyer, Sophia Jonas and Tori Szathmary scored in double-digits and sparked a second-half rally as the College of Saint Benedict (2-0, 1-0 MIAC) opened MIAC play with a 63-59 road win in overtime over St. Olaf (3-1, 0-1) on Nov. 19. Trailing 32-28 at halftime, the Bennies outscored the Oles, 28-24 in the second half to force overtime. With a 7-3 advantage in the extra session, CSB earned the victory in the closely contested league match up. The key play in the second half (overtime) was from junior forward Lydia Hay (seven points), who converted a three-point play with 16 seconds left to give the Bennies a 61-59 lead. Then, Szathmary had a pair of foul shots late to help the Bennies to the win. Szathmary recorded the fourth double-double of her career with 14 points and tied a career-high with 13 rebounds (Augsburg, March 3, 2021). With the 13 rebounds, she surpassed 300 rebounds for her career (305). Sophomore guard Sophia Jonas continued her sharpshooting from the perimeter by scoring 15 points for the second straight game. She was 4-of-8 from three-point range and had two rebounds. Junior guard Carla Meyer led the team with 18 points.

CSB falls to Gustavus
In its home opener, CSB dropped a 64-47 MIAC decision to Gustavus Adolphus (4-0, 2-0 MIAC) on Nov. 22 at Claire Lynch Hall. CSB was led in scoring by junior guard Carla Meyer who had 14 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Overall, the Bennies had struggles shooting from the field as they hit just 25.4 percent on 15-of-59 shooting, including 5-of-27 in the second half. CSB was 4-of-25 from three-point range for 16 percent but knocked down 13-of-18 free throws for 72.2 percent. CSB trailed just 17-15 after the first quarter before Gustavus had a 21-13 margin in the second to take a 38-28 lead to halftime. CSB was outscored, 20-10 in the third quarter as the Gusties built a 58-to-38 lead. The Bennies outscored Gustavus, 9-to-6 in the fourth quarter but it was not enough.

Bennies roll past St. Scholastica, 77-50
Sophia Jonas tied a career-high with five three-pointers and four players scored in double-digits to lead the College of Saint Benedict basketball team to a 77-50 road win over St. Scholastica (0-5, 0- on Nov. 30 in MIAC action. St. Ben's scored 20 points or more in three of four quarters for the first time this year. The Bennies took control of the game with a 14-2 run in the second quarter which pushed the lead to 40-24 at the break.  The Bennies hit a season-best 41.5 percent from the field by making 27-of-65 field goals. In the opening half, CSB was particularly effective by hitting 16-of-31 field goals for 51 percent.

Jonas has 22 as CSB turns back Augsburg
In winning its second straight game and fourth in five outings, the College of Saint Benedict Basketball Team featured clutch shooting, dominating rebounding and major contributions off the bench in defeating Augsburg, 82-68, on Dec. 3 at Claire Lynch Hall. CSB had career-best performances off the bench from sophomore forward Olivia Boily (13 points), first-year guard Megan Morgan (seven points) as well as a near career-high from sophomore sharpshooter Sophia Jonas (22 points). CSB jumped to a 21-18 lead after one quarter and led, 43-30, at the halftime break. With a 39-38 edge in the second half, the Bennies came away with a season-high in points in its best game of the young season. In total, CSB had three players in double digits as junior point guard Carla Meyer had 17 points to go with eight assists, five rebounds and two steals.  
 
Bennies cruise past Macalester, 67-52
The trio of Carla Meyer, Gabby Martin and Sophia Jonas all scored 15 points to lead the College of Saint Benedict Basketball Team to its third straight win in a 67-52 MIAC win over Macalester on Dec. 7^th at Claire Lynch Hall. Early on, the game was close as the Bennies led, 13-11, at the first quarter break. With an 18-10 margin in the second quarter, CSB took a 31-21 lead to halftime. The Scots outscored CSB, 17-16, in the third quarter to stay within 47-38 at the third quarter break before the Bennies had a 20-14 margin to record a third straight double-digit win.
 
CSB records a dramatic win over Hamline
Sophia Jonas hit the game-winning lay-up and Hannah Johnson had a career-best performance of 11 points and 13 rebounds to lead the College of Saint Benedict to a dramatic 53-52 road MIAC decision over Hamline on Dec. 10. With the victory, Saint Ben's won its fourth straight game to move into a tie for first place in the MIAC with Bethel and Hamline. Of the six total lead changes in the game, four of them came in the final minute, culminated by a lay-up from Jonas with seven seconds left. CSB, which led by as many as 14 points in the first half, called a timeout after Hamline had taken a 52-51 lead with 10 seconds to go on a lay-up from Lyndia Lecher. Then, Jonas made the shot to lift CSB into first place. The Bennies started fast by grabbing a 12-7 lead after the first quarter and took a 28-17 lead to the halftime break with a 16-10 advantage in the second quarter. Hamline rallied with a 19-13 edge in the third quarter to draw within 41-36 of CSB. Then, the Pipers had a 16-12 advantage in the fourth quarter and twice took the lead late.

Jonas and Meyer help Bennies over Worcester State
 Sophia Jonas scored 15 points and Carla Meyer added 14 as CSB defeated Worcester State (4-7) at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo, Hawaii on Dec. 18.  Saint Ben's jumped to a 19-9 lead after one quarter and held a 35-16 margin at the half. With a 13-6 advantage in the third quarter, the Bennies opened up a game-high 26-point lead and cruised to the nonconference win. Jonas tied her career-high in made three-pointers with five and had 15 points along with three rebounds and one assist in 23 minutes. Meyer also had a standout game for the Bennies with 14 points, three rebounds and six assists. Overall, CSB finished 24-of-53 from the field for 45.3 percent while making 9-of-28 from the three-point line for 32.1 percent. On defense, they held Worcester State to 29.1 percent from the field on 16-of-55 shooting and just 3-of-16 from three-point range. 

Meyer leads CSB to 69-58 win over DePauw
Led by 20 points from Carla Meyer, finished 2-0 at the Big Island Classic with a 69-58 decision over DePauw (5-5) in nonconference play on Monday night (Dec. 19). With a sizzling shooting performance in the first half, CSB, which had four players record double-digit points games, opened a 42-28 lead as the Bennies hit 10-of-17 shots for 58.8 percent in the second quarter. Then, the Bennies outscored DePauw, 14-12 in the third quarter for a 56-40 lead and held off the Tigers in the fourth quarter. As a result, the Bennies finished nonconference play, 3-0. Against DePauw, she hit 7-of-20 field goals while grabbing seven rebounds, dishing three assists and registering a steal. Three others – Olivia Boily, Gabby Martin and Lydia Hay -- all had 10 points. CSB, which led by as many as 19 points (59-40, 9:49, fourth quarter), had a 41-40 rebound edge and forced 13 turnovers, which resulted in a 19-to-6 margin over the Tigers. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Inside look at CSB
This year, St. Benedict is averaging 64.3 points per game for fourth in the league while allowing 55.4 for fifth in the MIAC. The Bennies rank second in the league with 7.3 made three-pointers per game (66 total). In addition, defensively, CSB is holding opponents to 33.9 percent shooting (2^nd, MIAC) from three-point range and 24.1 percent (1^st, MIAC) overall from the field.

CSB rankings in MIAC and DIII
The Bennies have two of the top-10 scorers in the MIAC. Junior guard Carla Meyer is averaging 13.9 for eighth in the league while Sophia Jonas is putting up 13.4 ppg for 10^th in the league.

Jonas ranks first in the MIAC and fifth in NCAA DIII at 3.4 three-pointers per game (league high 31 total); Meyer is eighth with 1.8 per game (1.8 average). Jonas also ranks 16^th in three-point field goal percentage at 44.3 and 19^th in total three-pointers at 31.

Meyer ranks first in the league with 4.6 assists per game and sits 42^nd in III. She is second in the MIAC in assist-turnover ratio at 1.8 (41 assists, 4.6 avg., 23 turnovers, 2.6 per game). Meyer also sits seventh in the MIAC in field goal percentage at 37.1 (49-of-132).

Senior forward Tori Szathmary ranks 11^th in the MIAC with 6.3 rpg.

In team stats, CSB ranks 49^th in DIII and first in the MIAC with 7.3 made threes per game. CSB is 16^th in DIII with just 13.6 turnovers per game, which is first in the MIAC.

The Bennies rank first in the MIAC with 40.33 rebounds per game and in three-point defensive percentage at 24.1 percent. CSB is 2^nd in assist-turnover ratio at 0.93; second in field goal defense percentage at 33.9; second in defensive rebounds at 27.6; and second in offensive rebounds at 12.9.

PLAYER NOTES

Guard Carla Meyer, a junior from New Brighton, Minn., has scored double digits in 28 of the past 32 games (35 double-digit career scoring games), including a career-best 26 points against Bethel on Feb. 2, 2022. Meyer, who has a high of 20 points this year vs DePauw on Dec. 19, has double-digit points in seven of the nine games, averaging 13.9 points per game for 8^th in the MIAC. She has grabbed 4.8 rebounds with 4.6 assists per game for first . Meyer, who has made a career-best four three pointers in a game seven times, has totaled 577 points (125 in 2022-23), 197 rebounds (43 this year), 87 three-pointers (33.9 percent on 257 attempts), 42 games, 41 starts, 49 steals and 154assists. She is 217-of-538 in field goals for 40.3 percent and 56-of-68 for 82.4 percent in free throws in her career.

Gabby Martin, a senior from Pillager, Minn., scored a career-high 17 points against St. Olaf on Feb. 9, 2022, and has a high of eight rebounds at St. Scholastica on Nov. 20, 2021, with a high of six assists also against St. Olaf on Feb. 9, 2022. Martin, who has 18 double digit scoring games in her career, is averaging 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game in 2022-23. She has two double-digit points games this season.  She has 13 steals in nine games. She had five steals on Jan. 10, 2022, against St. Olaf on the road for her career best. Martin, who has made 28 career threes at CSB, has surpassed 300 career points (314). She has 64 steals, 69 assists and 134 rebounds (36 offense) in playing in her second year with the program.
  
Tori Szathmary has four career double-doubles, including the latest against St. Olaf on Nov. 19, 2022. She has nine double-digit rebounds totals with a career-high in rebounds of 13 against Augsburg on the road on March 3, 2021, and against St. Olaf on Nov. 22, 22022. This season she is averaging 5.3 points and a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game which places her 11th in the MIAC. She has six blocked shots this season and 25 in her career. She set a career-best in points with 17 against Bethany Lutheran on Nov. 13, 2021. Originally of Lakewood, Colo., she has played in 66 games at CSB. Szathmary has scored double-digits nine times. Szathmary has 327 (48 in 2022-23) career points with 352 career rebounds (57 this year). The co-president of the SAAC, she has 113 career offensive boards and 24 this year. Szathmary is 1283-of-336 from the floor for 36.6 percent and 19-of-63 from three-point range for 30.6 percent. She has 62 made three throws in 117 attempts for 53 percent.
 
Junior forward Lydia Hay has recorded seven double-digit scoring games, and reached double digits in rebounds once (11, Wisconsin-Superior, 11/23/21).She has two double-digit game this year against St. Scholastica on Nov. 30. This year, Hay is averaging 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game with five blocked shots. Originally of Maple Grove, Minn., Hay, who has 215 points and 134 rebounds in her career, scored a career-best 14 points against Macalester on 12/11/21. In 39 career games, including 31 at CSB, she has hit 79-of-219 field goals for 36.1 percent (73-of-209 for 34.9 percent at CSB) and is 22-of-97 from three-point range. She has 28 blocks, 16 steals, 29 assists and 137 rebounds )37 on offense). She has made 35-of-52 free throws for 67.3 percent. 
Sophomore wing Sophia Jonas has scored double-digits in seven of the nine games this season. Jonas, who ranks 10^th in the MIAC with 13.4 points per game, has twice earned MIAC Offensive Player of the Week in 2022-23 and by doing it in consecutive weeks on Dec. 5 and 12, is the first in school history with that noteworthy honor. She now has 16 career double-digit scoring games. Jonas, who earned her first-ever MIAC Offensive Player of the Week honor on Dec. 5, scored 19.5 points and hit 55.6 percent of her three-pointers (10-of-18) in wins over St. Scholastic and Augsburg. On Dec. 12, she was honored again by the MIAC after averaging 14.0 points, hitting 50 percent from the field and hitting the game-winner in a 53-52 road win at Hamline. Jonas has matched her career-best of five made four times this year and has made five triples five times in her career. Overall, this year, she is 31-of-70 on made threes for 44.3 percent for third in the MIAC. Her 31 threes put her at first in the league and her 3.4 per game is best in the MIAC. She is averaging 2.3 rebounds and has seven steals. On Jan. 10, 2022, against St. Olaf, she had five threes and set her career high with 23 points. Sixteen times, she has hit three or more three-pointers in a game. She has 331 career points, two 20-point games, 75 (219 attempts, 34.2 %) made three-pointers and 71 rebounds.  Jonas has made 116-of-321 field goals for 36.1% and converted 24-of-32 for 75 percent on free throws. She has 22 steals and 45 assists in her career.

Sophomore Olivia Boily, who is averaging 7.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, set a career-best with 13 points vs Augsburg on Dec. 3, 2022. She has four double-digit point games in 2022-23. Boily set her career-high in rebounds with 11 against Carleton on Jan. 22, 2022. In 34 career games, she has 184 points (69 this year), 143 rebounds, 25 assists, 21 steals and 14 blocks. Boily has hit 2-of-6 from three-point range and 77-of-170 from the floor for 45.3 percent in her career. This year, the sophomore is shooting 30-of-66 for 45.5 percent from field.  She has grabbed three or more rebounds five times this season and 17 times in her career. Twice she has reached double-digits in rebounds including a career best 11 against Carleton on Jan. 26, 2022.

Abigail Kuboushek, a sophomore from Prior Lake, Minn., opened her sophomore season by setting a career-best with 10 points and seven rebounds vs. Minnesota Morris. She also had three made three-point shots in 19 attempts and 9-of-39 for 23.1 percent in her career. Kuboushek, who also recorded her first-double-digit scoring game against UMM this year, now has 63 points and 45 rebounds in her career in 25 games. She is averaging 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds per game this year.

Hannah Johnson, a senior from Willmar, Minn., is averaging 4.3 points and 5.5 rebounds this year. She had a career-high in rebounds with 13 and points with 11 in the dramatic 53-52 win at Hamline on Dec. 10, 2022. Johnson has one career double-double and one game of double-digit points. In 37 career games, including 16 starts, she has totaled 101 points (26 this season). She had 95 rebounds for 2.6 per game and owns 19 offensive boards. Johnson has made 9-of-26 field goals for 34.6 percent in 2022-23 with 39-of-128 in her career for 30.5 percent. She has made four triples, including one this year. Johnson has 53 assists with 11 this year and aa career high 34 in 2019-20.

Megan Morgan, a first-year guard from Winona, Minn., has played in eight games, averaging 3.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. In her debut season, she has 25 points, 31 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Morgan has made 9-of-20 field goals for 45 percent and is 1-of-5 on three-pointers. She has hit 6-of-10 free throws for 60 percent. Morgan has a career-high of eight points against Macalester on Dec. 7, 2022 and reached double-digits in rebounds with 10 in the dramatic 53-52 win at Hamline on Dec. 10, 2022. Twice she has registered two assists in a game and made her first career-three in a win over Augsburg on Dec. 3, 2022.
 
CSB Head Coach Mike Durbin has 724 career wins
Durbin, who is in his 37th season with the Bennies in 2022-23, recorded his 700th win at home (Claire Lynch Hall) on Feb. 24, 2021, in an 88-83 win over the University of St. Thomas. This season, the Bennies stand 8-1 overall and 5-1 (tied for 1st) in MIAC play. In 36 seasons, Durbin has recorded 32 winning teams, coached 70 All-MIAC First Team selections, 54 honorable mention athletes, 15 players All-MIAC Defensive Team members and 15 all-first year team picks. Overall, he has a 724-265 record, including 720-243 with the Saint Ben's program. Under Durbin's direction, CSB has averaged nearly 20 wins a season for nearly 40 years and has won or shared 13 MIAC championship titles. CSB has finished in the top four in the conference 29 times in his 36 seasons at the helm. CSB has also competed in the NCAA Tournament 17 times in Durbin's 36 years, including eight NCAA Sweet 16 appearances, three Elite 8 appearances and two NCAA Final Four appearances. He ranks 14th among all active coaches regardless of NCAA division and has the most wins by an active DIII coach. He ranks 32nd all-time for most wins in a career, regardless of division. In 2015-16, Durbin guided CSB to the 500th MIAC win in program history since joining the league in 1985. Saint Benedict is the third program to reach the milestone and was the last team to join the conference. He holds a 557-173 mark in conference play. During the summer of 2003, Durbin was inducted into the Minnesota High School Girls Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. On Dec. 1, 2001, against Macalester at Claire Lynch Hall, Durbin surpassed former University of St. Thomas head coach Ted Riverso as the career wins leader in MIAC women's basketball history. In 1992-93, Saint Benedict made its first appearance in the NCAA Final Four, and then repeated that accomplishment just six years later. In the 1998-99 season, he led CSB to the NCAA Championship game, finishing as the national runner-up with a 74-65 loss to Washington University (Mo). Four CSB basketball players have received MIAC Player of the Year honors, nine have received All-American Honors and five have received Academic All-American honors. Under Durbin's watch, 20 players have surpassed the 1,000-point milestone in their careers. Durbin, the eldest of nine children, was born and raised in Howard, Ohio. At East Knox High School, he competed in basketball and football. After his high school graduation in 1977, Durbin attended Kent State University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and public relations in 1981. He later earned a master's degree from Ashland College in sports administration. He served as an interim coach at Wittenberg University (Springfield, Ohio) for one year before coming to CSB in 1986.