ST. JOSEPH, Minn. -- With five wins in seven games, the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (7-3, 5-1 MIAC) will face a road test when they take on St. Scholastica (5-5, 2-4 MIAC) in MIAC play on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 1 p.m at Reif Gym in Duluth, Minn. CSB sits in third place in the MIAC with a 5-1 record with an overall record of 7-3. St. Scholastica is 5-5 overall and 2-4 in MIAC conference after falling to Bethel University on Jan. 3. 
 
Inside CSB Basketball
As a team, Saint Benedict, which will host Bethel in MIAC play on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m., is ranked third in the MIAC by averaging 71.9 points per game. The Bennies, which rank second in the MIAC and 11th in NCAA DIII with a 45.09 field goal percentage, have a 8.8 margin of victory for third in the MIAC. The Bennies rank first in the MIAC (20th in NCAA DIII) in three-point field goal percentage at 35.1 percent (94-of-268) and with 9.4 threes per game is first in the MIAC and fifth in NCAA DIII. Saint Benedict is second in the MIAC in assists per game at 15.1. In assist-turnover ratio, CSB is first in the MIAC and 27th in NCAA DIII at 1.12. Sophia Jonas leads the MIAC and is tied for third in NCAA DIII with 3.67 three-pointers per game with her league-best 33 total three-pointers.
 
Meyer in the 1,000 Point Club
With 1,004 career points in 70 career games, senior guard Carla Meyer has become the 21st player in school history to reach join the 1,000-point club. Meyer reached the milestone with a jumper at the 4:20 mark of the third quarter as she had 23 points in an 87-63 win over St. Olaf. Coming into the game, she had 981 points and by tallying 23 points increased her career total to 1,004, moving into the program's top 20 all-time and past Brianna Barrett who had 1,003 points in 82 games from 2010-14. The last player at CSB to reach 1,000 was Niki Fokken in 2018 as she finished with 1,018 in her career. Meyer and Jennifer Nash (1982-85) are the only players to reach 1,000 points in 73 or fewer games as Nash had 1,071 in 73 games and Meyer reached the milestone in 70 games.
 
About the Saints
Directed by third-year head coach Jason Schmitz, St. Scholastica is averaging 60.7 points per game for seventh in the MIAC in its 5-5 start. Through nine games in 2023-24, the Saints allowed just 61.7 points per game for seventh in the MIAC. Individually, Kloey Lind leads the Saints in scoring at 12.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Lexi Imdieke adds 11.6 points and 2.5 rebounds.
 
Series Notes
In the all-time series between St. Scholastica and Saint Benedict, the Bennies have a 20-2 series edge. The Bennies, which has won 15 straight in the series, have a 11-1 home record and sit 4-0 in MIAC play. In the first game between the schools, CSB won by a 85-70 decision on Feb. 19, 1982. In the most recent match up on Jan. 25, 2023, in St. Joseph, Minn CSB recorded a 69-46 decision as Carla Meyer scored 20 points, Sophia Jonas totaled 15 points and added three rebounds.
 
Quick Review
Saint Benedict opened the year with a pair of non-conference wins over Minnesota Morris, 70-54, and Northwestern (St. Paul), 79-70, to win the CSB Tip-off Tournament Championship. Junior guard, Sophia Jonas, was named Tournament MVP after averaging 23.5 points. She and senior guard, Carla Meyer, who averaged 15.5 points per game, were named to the CSB Tip-Off All-Tournament Team. Just before the Thanksgiving break, CSB dropped an 82-75 decision at UW-River Falls despite a career-high 26 points by Sophia Jonas, a junior guard who has earned a pair of MIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors already in 2023-24. On Nov. 29, the Bennies recorded a 74-55 MIAC road win at Saint Mary's as Kira Young had a career-high in points with 17 and rebounds with seven. Carla Meyer added 17 points and a team-season-high eight assists in the victory. With 17 points from Young and 11 by Meyer, CSB defeated Hamline, 77-64, at home on Dec. 2. Following the win against Hamline CSB defeated Augsburg, 67-38, on the road as Young had a career-high 19 points and Meyer had 11 points in the victory. Despite 22 points from Carla Meyer, CSB dropped a 77-61 decision at Concordia on Dec. 6. In a 66-58 MIAC win over Macalester, Kira Young had 11 points and seven rebounds. Then, despite a late rally to earn a tie, CSB dropped a 70-63 loss to Grinnell on the road when Carla Meyer scored 18 points (all in the second half) with nine rebounds while Sophia Jonas added 15 points, including five triples. On Jan 3 at home in MIAC play, CSB had 23 points from Meyer and a career-high 15 points and five triples from Morgan Ebel in an 87-63 victory over St. Olaf.
 
​​Player Notes – Jonas ranks 4^th on CSB's 3-point career chart
Sophia Jonas, who was named the CSB Invite Tournament MVP, is averaging 15.7 points per game for third 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 now has 161 career threes and is fourth on CSB's all-time list. Jonas, who has her 161 threes in just 61 games, is six back of Darby Noreen at 167 in 102 games from 2003-07; 19 behind Michelle Barlau at 180 in 105 games from 1999-03 and 25 from the all-time leader Ashley Brown, who had 186 in 107 games from 2000-04. Thirty-two times, including seven of nine 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 39 career double-digit scoring games, has 699 career points, and 135 rebounds with 90 assists in her career. In 2023-24, Jonas has made 50-of-111 field goals for 45 percent (10th, MIAC) and 33-of-79 from three-point range for 41.8 percent (2nd, MIAC). 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 tied for third in NCAA DIII with 3.7 three-pointers per game with her league-best 33 total three-pointers ranking 10^th in NCAA DIII.
 
Senior guard Carla Meyer, who is averaging 14.9 points for fourth in the MIAC and 5.4 rebounds per game, has 59 double digit scoring games, including seven in 2023-24. In her career Meyer has three career double-doubles. With 18 three-pointers this season, she now has 133 in her career for eighth all-time at CSB. Meyer, who became the 21^st player in school history to join CSB's 1,000 point club (1,004), 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 eighth career 20-point game in the 87-63 win over St. Olaf on Jan. 3, 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 12th on the career chart at 243 and just eight away from the top 10. In 11th place is Jennifer Nash, who had 249 from 1982-85 and in 10th place all-time at CSB is Sue Yorkovich with 251 from 1989-92. 
 
Kira Young, who is averaging 10.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, set a career-high in points with 19 and five rebounds in a 67-38 road win at Augsburg on Dec. 2. Six 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 vs. Macalester. Five times she has six or more rebounds, setting a career-high seven three times. She has a career-high four assists against Northwestern (11/11/23) and St. Olaf (1/3/23). Young has hit 41-of-94 field goals for 43.6 percent.
 
Sophomore guard Megan Morgan is averaging 8.0 points per game, 4.0 rebounds, while also dishing 23 assists (2.3 apg) on the season. Morgan has four career double-digit point games with a high 14 on Feb. 11, 2023. Morgan has double-digit points in three games this year with her season-high of 11 against Concordia-Moorhead on Dec. 6. She has scored eight or more points 11 times. Morgan has 194 career points, 47 assists, 117 rebounds, and 16 made threes in her career.

Senior forward, Lydia Hay is averaging 9.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Hay has 14 double-digit scoring games 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 398 points and 231 rebounds in her career at CSB and 410 points and 233 rebounds overall (seven games at MSU-Moorhead, 2020-21). She had a season-best average of 4.2 rebounds in 2021-22. In addition, she has nine blocked shots, including at least one block five times and a career-high four vs Grinnell on Dec. 10, 2023.
 
Megan Driste, a sophomore guard, who is averaging 2.4 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). Driste has made 17-of-37 field goals for 45.9 percent and 10-of-26 field goals for 45.9 percent in 2023. In her career, Driste, who made her first career start against St. Olaf on Jan. 3, has hit 20-of-47 field goals for 42.6 percent, including 11-of-34 three field goals for 32.4 percent. She scored 58 points and grabbed 30 rebounds while dishing 18 assists.
 
Morgan Ebel, a senior wing, totaled her season-high of 15 points against St. Olaf on Jan, 3rd at Claire Lynch Hall. Ebel is averaging 1.9 points and totaled seven assists, seven rebounds this season.
  
Morgan Chmielewski, a junior forward, is averaging 6.5 points and 3.9 rebounds a game and has recorded a career-high nine points four 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 21-of-37 field goals for 56.8 percent while making 22-of-27 free throws for 81.5 percent.
 
CSB Head Coach Mike Durbin has 741 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 741-276 (.728) overall coaching record and a 737-254 mark 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 576-182 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 56^th career double-digit scoring game. With 22 points, she now has 953 career points, and moved into 22^nd 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.