ST. JOSEPH, Minn. -- The College of Saint Benedict basketball team (9-6, 7-4 MIAC) faces a road MIAC test against Hamline University Pipers (6-9, 4-7 MIAC) on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 1 p.m., at Hutton Arena in St. Paul, Minn.
 
CSB sits in fourth place in the MIAC with a 7-4 record with an overall record of 9-6. Hamline owns a 4-7 record for 9th in the MIAC. On Wednesday (Jan. 17th), CSB recorded a 84-59 victory against Saint Mary's as seniors Carla Meyer (22) and Lydia Hay (13) and Morgan Ebel (11) combined for 46 points. 
 
Inside CSB Basketball
As a team, Saint Benedict is ranked third in scoring in the MIAC with 70.8 points per game. The Bennies, which rank second in the MIAC and 35th in NCAA DIII with a 43.0 field goal percentage, have an 5.0 margin of victory for fourth in the MIAC. The Bennies rank second in the MIAC (37th in NCAA DIII) in three-point field goal percentage at 33.9 percent (129-of-381) and, with 8.6 threes per game, is first in the MIAC and 47th in DIII.  Saint Benedict is second in the MIAC in assists per game at 14.33. In assist-turnover ratio, CSB is third in the MIAC and 69th in NCAA DIII at 1.00.

Junior guard Sophia Jonas leads the MIAC and is eighth in NCAA DIII with 3.2 three-pointers per game with her league-best 41 total three-pointers. With 1,064 career points in 75 career games, senior guard Carla Meyer ranks 15th all-time in points in CSB history. In an 87-63 win over St. Olaf on Jan. 3, 2024 at Claire Lynch Hall, she became the 21st player to join CSB's 1,000-point club by hitting a jumper at the 4:20 mark of the third quarter. Meyer and Jennifer Nash (1982-85) are the only players in school history to reach 1,000 points in 73 or fewer games as Nash accomplished the feat with 1,071 in 73 games and Meyer reached 1K in her 70th game. Meyer also ranks ninth assists at CSB with 262 and is tied for seventh in made threes with 140. Jonas who averages 13.4 points per game for seventh in the MIAC, third in career threes at CSB with 169.
 
About The Pipers
Directed by sixth year head coach Joshua Hersch, Hamline has a 6-9 overall record and 4-7 in the MIAC for ninth place. The Pipers are led by Michaela Stamer with 13.5 points while Lydia Lechner added 13.3. Kate Trachsel providess 1.4 assists per game this season.

Series Notes
In the all-time series between Hamline  and Saint Benedict, the Bennies have a 67-11 series edge. The Bennies have won two of the last five meetings in the series. including a 77-64 decision on Dec. 2, 2023. CSB is 36-5 at home and 31-5 on the road against the Pipers. In MIAC play, CSB owns a 64-10 MIAC mark. In the first matchup, CSB recorded an 80-33 victory on Jan. 12, 1982.

Player Notes – Jonas ranks 4th on CSB's 3-point career chart
Sophia Jonas, who was named the CSB Invite Tournament MVP, is averaging 13.4 points per game for seventh in the MIAC. She has earned MIAC Offensive Basketball Player of the Week twice Nov. 13, and Nov. 20. Jonas is one of two players in CSB history (Laura Wendorff) to earn the MIAC weekly honor four times. Jonas has 169 career threes and ranks third all-time in made three-pointers at CSB. Jonas broke the MIAC and school record with 84 made threes a year ago. Through 13 games, she has 41 triples and is on pace for matching that performance of a year ago. On CSB's career list, she needs 12 to move made Michelle Barlau, who had 180 in 105 games from 1993-03. She is 18 from taking over the all-time lead from Ashley Brown, who had 186 in 107 games from 2000-04. Thirty-three times, including eight of 13 games this year, she has made three or more triples in a game. Jonas now has six 20-point games in her career. Jonas, who has 40 career double-digit scoring games, has 732 career points,145 rebounds with 98 assists in her career. She has made six triples in a game three times in her career, including twice in 2023-24 (UW-River Falls, Minnesota Morris). Jonas leads the MIAC and is seventh in NCAA DIII with 3.20 three-pointers per game with her league-best 41 total three-pointers (59th in DIII).
 
Senior guard Carla Meyer, who is averaging 13.9 points for fourth in the MIAC and 4.8 rebounds per game, has 62 double digit scoring games, including ten in 2023-24. In her career Meyer has three career double-doubles. With 25 three-pointers this season, Meyer is tied for seventh all-time at CSB with 140 three pointers. With 1,064 points, she is 15^th on CSB's career list. She earned her first-ever MIAC Offensive Player of the Week honor on Dec. 4 after averaging 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in wins over Saint Mary's on Nov. 29 and Hamline on Dec. 2. With her ninth career 20-point game in the 84-59 win over St. Mary's on Jan. 17, Meyer ranks second all-time in program history in career assists per game at 3.5, sitting just back of Patty Meyer, 4.7, 1985-89. In terms of total assists, Meyer is 10th all-time in assists with 262 and now ranks in top 15 at CSB in points, assists and three pointers.
 
Kira Young, who is averaging 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, set a career-high in points with 20 and rebounds with eight in a 86-75 double-overtime loss to St. Catherine on Jan. 13. Nine times this season and in her career, Young has recorded double-digit points. She has double-digit scoring games of 13 vs Northwestern, 10 against UW-River Falls, 17 against St. Mary's, 12 against Hamline; career-high 19 against Augsburg (12-4-23); and 11 against Macalester St. Scholastica, and Gustavus-Adolphus. with her first 20-point game against St. Catherine. Eight times she has six or more rebounds. She has a career-high four assists against Northwestern (11/11/23) and St. Olaf (1/3/23). 
 
Sophomore guard Megan Morgan is averaging 8.7 points per game, 3.7 rebounds, while also dishing 29 assists (1.9 apg) on the season. Morgan has seven career double-digit point games with a high of 20 vs. St. Scholastica on Jan. 6, 2023. Morgan has double-digit points in six games this year. She has scored eight or more points 14 times. Morgan has 244 career points, 53 assists, 132 rebounds, and 20 made threes in her career.
 
Senior forward, Lydia Hay is averaging 10.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Hay has 18 double-digit career scoring games, including fivein the past six games and eight total this year, with a high of 17 points against Hamline on Dec. 2, 2023. She has one double-digit rebound game of 11 against UW-Superior on Nov. 23, 2021. Hay has totaled 457 points and 261 rebounds in her career at CSB and 472 points and 263 rebounds overall (seven games at MSU-Moorhead, 2020-21).  In addition, she has 17 blocked shots, including at least one block nine times and a career-high four vs Grinnell on Dec. 10, 2023.
 
Megan Driste, a sophomore guard, who is averaging 4.5 points per game, set a career-high with eight points against Northwestern (St. Paul) on 11/11/23 and against Macalester on 12/9/23. Against Northwestern, she established career-bests with six rebounds, three assists and two steals as well as two made three-pointers (tied against Macalester).  
 
Morgan Ebel, a senior wing, has two double-digit scoring games with both this season. She had her career-high of 15 points against St. Olaf on Jan. 3 at Claire Lynch Hall. Ebel, who recorded 11 points in a win over Saint Mary's on Jan. 17, is averaging 3.1 points and totaled seven assists, and 16 rebounds this season.
 
Morgan Chmielewski, a junior forward, is averaging 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds a game and has recorded a career-high nine points five times this year against UW-River Falls on 11/16/23, Saint Mary's on 11/23/23, St. Olaf 1/3/24 and Macalester on 12/9/23. Chmielewski also grabbed a career-high in rebounds with seven against Grinnell on Dec. 10, 2023. She leads the Bennies by hitting 29-of-58  field goals for 50.0 percent while making 32-of-40 free throws for 80.0 percent.
 
CSB Head Coach Mike Durbin has 743 career wins
Veteran head coach Mike Durbin is in his 38th season with the CSB program in 2023-24. Durbin became the 17th active coach at all levels of the NCAA to reach the 700-win milestone on Feb. 24, 2021. In 37 seasons, Durbin has coached 72 All-MIAC first team selections, 54 honorable mention athletes, 15 players named to the All-MIAC Defensive Team and 15 all-first year team picks. Durbin has a 743-277 (.728) overall coaching record and a 739-257 mark (.741) with Saint Benedict. He ranks 15th among all active coaches regardless of NCAA division and has the most wins by any active DIII coach. Durbin ranks 36th all-time for most wins in a career, regardless of division. He is third all-time in wins in NCAA DIII. In addition to his outstanding overall coaching record at CSB, Durbin holds a 578-185 mark in conference play.
 
Season Review
Sophia Jonas had a career-high 26 but CSB Basketball falls at UW-River Falls, 82-75
Sophia Jonas  had a career-high 26 points, including six three pointers, but the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (2-1) dropped an 82-75 road decision to UW-River Falls (2-1) in nonconference play. The Bennies battled back from an 11-point deficit to take the lead after three quarters at 62-61. Down 75-68 in the fourth quarter, Jonas keyed a 7-0 run with five straight points for a tie in the final minute. However, the Falcons closed the game on a 7-0 run to take the victory. Jonas was one of three Bennies in double digits as senior forward Lydia Hay  had season-highs with 13 points and nine rebounds along with an assist and a steal. Hay now has 11 double-digit scoring games in her career. Sophomore forward Kira Young  recorded her second double-digit game of the season by adding 10 points and six rebounds with three assists. Sophomore forward Morgan Chmielewski had a career-high nine points (six points, Gustavus Adolphus, 2/24/23) on 4-of-5 shooting, including 1-of-2 from three-point range. She also supplied three rebounds and a steal. Sophomore guard Megan Morgan added eight points.
 
Tournament MVP Sophia Jonas leads CSB Basketball to 79-70 win over Northwestern
Tournament MVP Sophia Jonas scored 22 points to lead a 79-70 come-from-behind win by the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (2-0) over Northwestern (1-1) in the final game of the CSB Tip-off Tournament, which concluded Nov. 11 at Claire Lynch Hall. Jonas hit 9-of-16 shots from the field, including 4-of-11 from three-point range for her 22 points. She also had two rebounds, three steals and an assist. In scoring 17 points, Carla Meyer hit 8-of-18 shots from the field, including knocking in her 118th career three-pointer which moves her ninth all-time at CSB. Kira Young had a career best scoring 13 points and recording six rebounds while supplying an assist, bloc, and steal against Northwestern. Megan Morgan on 4-of-7 shooting from the field. Morgan added three assists and three rebounds while registering a block. Also reaching a career-high was sophomore Megan Driste who was 3-of-5 from the field for eight points, while tying for a team-high with a career-best six rebounds. Driste hit both of her three-point field goals and had two steals.

CSB rolls past Minnesota Morris, 70-54, in opener
Sophia Jonas  scored 25 points and led three players in double digits as CSB successfully opened the season with a 70-54 win over Minnesota Morris on Friday, Nov. 10 as part of the CSB Tip-Off Tournament. CSB's 15th straight season-opening win came in the CSB Tip-Off Tourney which also includes teams from St. Olaf, Northwestern-St. Paul. The Bennies opened a 23-16 lead and extended the margin to nine points at halftime at 43-34. With a 12-to-9 edge in the third quarter, CSB led, 55-43, and then outscored the Cougars, 10-to-6, in the fourth quarter to grab the 70-54 decision. Jonas had six triples in 15 attempts as she totaled 25 points while supplying a pair of assists and recording a steal. She was 9-of-18 from the field overall. Carla Meyer  also registered a team-high five rebounds with an assist in 33 minutes. She hit 6-of-13 shots and was 2-of-7 from three-point range.
 
Young and Meyer lead CSB Basketball to 74-55 win over Saint Mary's 
Young reached double-digits for a third consecutive game but set a career-high with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. Young, who also had a career-high with seven rebounds, also hit 2-of-4 from three-point range and 1-of-2 at the free throw line while adding three assists, a steal and a block. Meyer, who had her 53rd career double-digit scoring game, scored 17 points to go with a team-season high eight assists and five rebounds along with three steals. Meyer hit 8-of-13 shots from the floor, and recorded a three-pointer, the 119th of her career. She also surpassed 900 points (909) in her career. The eight assists by Meyer were one away from her career-high (9, Augsburg, 3/3/2021) as CSB had 19 as a team, the second highest total of the year for the Bennies. For the fourth straight game, Sophia Jonas  reached double-digits with 11 points while she set a career-high with five assists and had three rebounds. Jonas hit 3-of-5 from three-point range and now has 147 for her career, just four away from tying Amy Stifter, who had 151 from 2007-11, on CSB's all-time three-point list. Playing in her hometown, sophomore guard Megan Morgan  added 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot. Junior forward Morgan Chmielewski  tied her career-high with nine points (UW-River Falls, 11/16/23) and set a career-high with five rebounds, including a career-best of three offensive boards as the Bennies  had 10 as a team and 37 total rebounds for the game. Overall, CSB hit 30-of-61 field goals for 49.2 percent, including 9-of-24 from three-point range for 37.5 percent. On the night, the Bennies outshot SMU which was 23-of-63 from the field for 36.5 percent and made 8-of-17 from three-point range for 47.1 percent.
 
Lydia Hay's career-best 17 points lead Bennies past Hamline
 Lydia Hay scored a career high 17 points to lead CSB to a 77-64 win over Hamline on Dec. 2 at Claire Lynch Hall. Hay had nine points in a first half in which the Bennies were 12-for-16 at the free throw line in route to taking a 36-29 halftime lead. Sophomore post Kira Young scored seven of her 12 points before halftime. She finished the game tied with senior point guard/wing Carla Meyer for the team lead with nine rebounds as CSB had 40 rebounds as they had 19 more boards than the Pipers. Carla Meyer finished with 11 points. Junior forward Morgan Chmielewski added eight points and five rebounds. CSB finished 25-for-52 (48.1 percent) from the field as a team. The Pipers (2-1, 3-1) were 25-for-66 (37.9 percent).
 
Young and Meyer lead CSB to 67-38 road win over Augsburg
Sophomore forward Kira Young recorded a career-high 19 points and senior guard Carla Meyer added 11 as the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (5-1, 3-0 MIAC) rolled to a third straight double-digit win in MIAC play after defeating Augsburg (1-5, 0-4 MIAC), 67-38, on the road Monday night (Dec. 4). Against Augsburg, CSB opened fast and led, 17-13, after the first quarter. With a 22-8 second quarter, the Bennies took a 39-21 lead at the halftime break. In the second half, Saint Benedict outscored the Auggies, 28-17 (16-8, 3rd quarter; 12-9, 4th quarter) for the 29-point win. Overall, CSB, which had a 24-to-20 points in the paint edge, made 24-of-58 field goals for 41.4 percent, including 10-of-25 from three-point range for 40 percent. The Bennies reached double-digits in made threes for third time this year. CSB, which had a 41-to-34 rebound edge, had 15 assists on the 24 made baskets. CSB had 14 or more assists in a game for the fifth time in six games. In addition, the defense was solid with five steals and three blocks as they had a 24-to-12 points edge in points in turnovers.
 
Bennies fall at Concordia, 77-61, despite 22 from Meyer
scored a season-high 22 points, but the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (5-2, 3-1 MIAC) dropped a 77-61 road decision to Concordia-Moorhead (6-2, 5-0 MIAC) in MIAC play on Wednesday (Dec. 6). In the opening quarter, the teams traded baskets before the Cobbers scored a late basket for a 17-16 lead. After the teams were tied at 35, Concordia scored four straight points in the final minute of the second quarter to take a 39-35 advantage at halftime. The Cobbers broke open the game in the third quarter with a 26-12 advantage for a 65-47 lead. While CSB outscored Concordia, 14-12, in the fourth quarter, it was not enough as the Bennies fell in MIAC play for the first time. Meyer, who had a career-high five three-pointers in seven attempts, reached 20 points for the seventh time in her career. She made 8-of-10 field goals and had four rebounds and two assists in 37 minutes on the floor. She had her 56th career double-digit scoring game. With 22 points, she now has 953 career points, and moved into 22nd place all-time at CSB and past Darby Noreen (937, 2003-07). With her five triples, she is now eighth all-time at CSB with 128 three-pointers. Joining Meyer in double-digits was sophomore guard Megan Morgan with 11 points, two steals and a block while senior forward Lydia Hay had 10 points, a rebound and a blocked shot.
 
Bennies defeat Macalester, 66-58
In a 66-58 win over Macalester at home on Dec. 9, Kira Young, who now has six career double-digit scoring games (all in 2023-24), led the way for CSB (4-1 MIAC, 6-2 overall) with 11 points and seven rebounds. In the win, CSB used balanced scoring with seven players scoring between eight and 11 points. The Bennies (who were coming off a 77-61 loss at Concordia this past Wednesday) came out a bit cold, shooting just 4-for-16 (25 percent) from the field in the first quarter - and just 1-for-8 from 3-point range. That allowed Macalester to take a 13-11 lead. But things picked up from there. Young scored all seven of her first-half points in the second quarter and CSB went 9-for-19 from the field in route to taking a 33-23 halftime lead. The Bennies finished 7-for-13 from the field in the third quarter and led 46-40. The lead grew as wide as 13 (56-43) on a layup by sophomore Megan Morgan with 6:10 remaining. But the Scots (2-4, 4-5) did not go gently, rallying to cut the gap to just four (62-58) on a jumper by junior Katherine Norquist with 1:13 left to play.Senior Carla Meyer finished with 10 points and six rebounds. Junior Sophia Jonas added 10 points and six rebounds. For the third time this year, junior forward Morgan Chmielewski tied her career best with nine points and Megan Driste also matched her career high with eight points, including a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
 
CSB falls to Grinnell, 70-63 in OT
Carla Meyer (18 points) and Sophia Jonas (15 points) sparked a late rally which fell just short as the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (6-3) dropped a 70-63 overtime decision to Grinnell (7-3) on Sunday (Dec. 10) in road non-conference play at Darby Gymnasium. Down eight points late in the fourth quarter, the Bennies closed on a 9-3 run to take a 56-54 lead before Grinnell's Sarah Booher had the game-tying basket. In overtime, Grinnell used a 14-7 scoring edge to earn the victory. CSB trailed 11-10 after the first quarter and 25-18 at halftime. The Pioneers, which once led 25-11, held a 39-33 edge through three quarters. CSB outscored Grinnell, 23-to-17 in the fourth quarter to draw even at 56 and force overtime. Meyer scored all 18 of her points in the second half. Jonas had her 39th double-digit scoring game of her career as she had 15 points, including 5-of-11 from three-point range. Junior forward Morgan Chmielewski added eight points with a career-high seven rebounds while sophomore guard Megan Morgan had seven points and seven rebounds. Lydia Hay added seven points, seven rebounds, a career-high four blocks and two assists and two steals. Sophomore guard Megan Driste supplied seven points, four rebounds, and two assists. Four players, Morgan, Lydia Hay, Chmielewski and Meyer also totaled seven rebounds or more as the Bennies had a season-high 47 rebounds. After a slow start shooting, CSB hit 22-of-73 field goals to finish at 30.1 percent and connected on 12-of-39 from three-point range for 30.8 percent. 
 
Carla Meyer reaches 1,000 career points as CSB Basketball rolls to 87-63 win over St. Olaf 
Led by 23 points from Carla Meyer and a career-high 15 from Morgan Ebel, the Bennies rolled to an 87-63 win over St. Olaf on Jan. 3 at Claire Lynch Hall. The 87 points was Saint Benedict is the most in a game by the Bennies since an 87-66 non-conference win over Bethany Lutheran on Nov. 13, 2021. It is the most points in conference play since an 88-83 win against St. Thomas on Feb. 24, 2021.CSB jumped to a 22-10 lead after one quarter of play as they made 8-of-19 field goals for 42.1 percent. They were 3-of-7 from three-point range in the opening quarter. CSB extended the margin to 45-to-26 at halftime with a 23-to-16 second quarter advantage. CSB, which had 22 or more points in each of the first three quarters, hit 9-of-16 field goals for 56.3 percent in the second quarter. In addition, they were 4-of-11 from three-point range for 36.4 percent. In both the third and fourth quarters, Saint Benedict connected on 62.5 percent of their shots to ice the game. In the third quarter, when Meyer hit 7-of-8 field goals to lead the way, CSB outscored the visitors, 24-18, to extend the advantage to 69-to-44. In the final quarter, CSB was 5-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, for a 19-to-18 points advantage. With 2:09 to play, CSB extended the lead to 30 points which was its largest lead of the game.
 
Morgan's career-high 20 points leads CSB to comeback win over St. Scholastica
Sophomore guard Megan Morgan recorded a career-high 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals to lead the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (8-3, 6-1 MIAC) to a come-from-behind 66-61 win over College of St. Scholastica (5-6, 2-5 MIAC) in MIAC play on the road on Jan. 6. Morgan scored eight points in both the third and fourth quarter as she not only had a career-high in points but had her first-career 20-point game. Morgan made 5-of-13 field goals, including 2-of-6 from three-point range while knocking down 8-of-10 foul shots. The four steals by the sophomore from Winona, Minn., was also a career-high. Sophomore Kira Young reached double-digits for the seventh time this year with 12 points, and six rebounds. First-year forward Cora Beeler also made a significant contribution with career-highs in points with nine and rebounds with six while also recording a steal. She was 4-of-9 from the field. Senior forward Lydia Hay had nine points and four rebounds while senior guard Carla Meyer added five points, eight rebounds and six assists.  Saint Benedict hit just two field goals in the opening quarter and trailed 13-8 and despite a 15-to-9 run late in the second quarter trailed, 31-25, at halftime. Then, CSB had a 24-to-8 run in the third quarter to take a 49-39 lead heading into the fourth quarter. After CSS closed within two points (61-59, 21 seconds left), junior forward Morgan Chmielewski's three-point play and two free throws by Morgan iced CSB's win, the 21st in 23 games in the all-time series.
 
Hay scores 12 but CSB falls to Bethel
 Lydia Hay had 12 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots but the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (8-4, 6-2 MIAC) drops a 73-56 decision to Bethel (7-7, 5-4 MIAC) in MIAC play on Wednesday (Jan. 10) at Claire Lynch Hall. The Bennies were hurt by a season-high 25 turnovers, which led to a 21-to-15 points off turnover edge for Bethel. The Royals also had a substantial advantage in the paint with a 44-to-30 points margin, and with its 34-to-25 rebound edge, had a 15-to-6 margin in second chance points. CSB hit 22-of-47 field goals for 46.8 percent but made just 5-of-17 shots from three-point range. Hay, a senior forward from Maple Grove, Minn., was 4-of-9 from the floor, including 1-of-2 from three-point range.   
 
Young records career high 20 points but CSB falls in 2OT to St. Kate's
Sophomore Kira Young scored a career-high 20 points and added eight rebounds and three assists but the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (8-5, 6-3 MIAC) lost in double overtime to St. Catherine (9-4, 7-3 MIAC), 86-75, in MIAC play on Saturday (Jan. 13). Saint Benedict opened a 38-26 lead by halftime before St. Kate's rallied in the second half to tie the game at 63-63 at the end of regulation. In the first overtime, the two teams both scored seven points for a 70-70 tie. Megan Morgan, who had 14 points, had a three-point play with 31 seconds left in overtime to force a second extra session. Then, SCU outscored CSB, 16-to-5, in the second overtime to earn the win. After hitting 16-of-30 shots in the first half for 53.3 percent, CSB was just 11-of-38 from the field, including 3-of-18 from three-point range, in the second half. The Bennies finished just 27-of-68 from the field for 39.7 percent and made just 7-of-26 from three-point range for 26.9 percent. Young, a sophomore from Hudson, Wis., had her career-high in points, reaching 20-points for the first time as she led the Bennie offense. She hit 7-of-14 field goals and 6-of-6 at the foul line. She also had a career-high eight rebounds and three assists. In total, CSB had four players score double-digit points. Senior forward Lydia Hay had her 16th career double-digit scoring game, including second straight, with 14 points, nine rebounds, an assist, and steal. Sophomore guard Megan Morgan had 12 points for her fifth double-digit game of the season. Senior guard Carla Meyer had 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. 
 
CSB falls to No. 6 Gustavus on Jan. 15
Despite four players scoring in double figures, the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (8-6, 6-4 MIAC) dropped a 77-62 decision to No. 6 Gustavus (14-1, 10-0 MIAC) on Monday (Jan. 15) at Claire Lynch Hall. With the loss, CSB fell to 6-4 in the MIAC and sit in a tie with Bethel for fourth place. CSB, which is 8-6 overall, will look to end a three-game slide when they host Saint Mary's on Wednesday (Jan. 17) at 7 p.m. Gustavus opened up a 24-12 lead after a quarter, but CSB rallied by shooting 58.3 percent in the second stanza to cut the lead to 37-30 at the break. In a back-and-forth third quarter, the Gusties moved to a 56-47 lead and then outscored CSB, 21-15, in the fourth quarter for the final result. Carla Meyer led CSB in scoring with 14 points as she had her 61st double-digit scoring game. The senior guard improved to 1,042 career points, which ranks 18th all-time at CSB. She is just 11 points from taking over 17th at 1,052, held by Lynn Nielsen (1989-93). Against GAC, Meyer was 6-of-12 from the field and hit 1-of-4 from three-point range while grabbing four rebounds and handing out three assists. Sophia Jonas had 12 points by hitting 4-of-10 field goals, including a pair of three-pointers. The junior guard now has 166 threes (723 career points) in her career for fourth all-time at CSB. She added two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Also, reaching double-digits in points was St. Cloud Orthopedic/CSB Athlete of the Week Lydia Hay, who had 11 points, two rebounds and an assist. The Bennies also had 11 points and six rebounds from sophomore forward Kira Young. She now has nine career double-digit scoring games – all this year.
 
Meyer's 22 points leads CSB Basketball to a 84-59 win over Saint Mary's
Meyer cracked 20 points for the ninth time in her career. She increased her career total to 1,064 points, which ranks 15th all-time at CSB. In tonight's game, she passed Lynn Nielsen, 1,052 points, 1989-93; Danni Hannon, 1054, 1999-03; and Ashley Brown, 1,056 points, 2000-04. With four three-point field goals, Meyer is tied with Sidney Schiffler (2016-20) for seventh all-time at CSB with 140. Meyer made 9-of-16 field goals with 4-of-8 from distance. With five assists, she now has 259 career assists for ninth all-time at CSB.For the 18th time in her career, senior forward Lydia Hay reached double digits with 13 points, while adding nine rebounds and two blocks. Hay, who has scored double-digits in five of the past six games, hit 5-of-7 field goals, including 2-of-3 from three-point range. In total CSB had four players in double digits, including senior guard Morgan Ebel with 11 points, two rebounds and an assist. Sophomore guard Megan Morgan added 10 points, two assists and two rebounds. Junior guard Sophia Jonas supplied nine points, four assists and a rebound. With a trio of triples, she has tied Darby Noreen (2003-07, 102 games) for third all-time at CSB in made three-pointers with 167 triples in just her 65th game. Overall, the Bennies forced Saint Mary's into 17 turnovers, recording 10 steals which led to a 20-to-7 point differential. While Saint Mary's had a 36-to-20 margin of points in the paint, CSB had a 17-to-15 margin in offensive rebounds and a 20-to-17 advantage in second chance points. In addition, the Bennies had an 11-to-2 margin in fast break points and a 25-to-15 advantage in points off the bench.CSB and Saint Mary's each had 39 rebounds, but CSB had an overall shooting edge, making 41.2 percent on 28-of-68 shooting. Key for CSB was a season-high 13 three-pointers on 33 attempts for 39.4 percent. The Bennies, which had 17 assists on 28 made field goals, also made 15-of-20 foul shots. The Cardinals, led by 20 points from Kali Olson, hit 22-of-55 shots for 40 percent with just 2-of-12 made three-pointers.