LA CROSSE, Wis. – First-year point guard Lauren Arnold scored a career-high 13 points, including a critical three-pointer in the final minute of play, to lift the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (3-1) to a second straight win with a 76-69 win over Simpson College (3-3) at the Gunderson Hotel and Suites Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday (Nov. 30).

With the victory, the Bennies improved to 3-1 on the season and will face tournament host UW-LaCrosse (4-2) on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 4 p.m.

Arnold led four CSB players in double-digits with her best performance as a Bennie. She hit 5-of-5 from the field, including the three-pointer that provided CSB with a 73-69 lead with 33 seconds to play, and was 2-of-4 at the foul line. Arnold added four rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block to help CSB to the win.

Also reaching double-digits for St. Ben's were seniors Olivia Boily, and Sophia Jonas while junior guard Megan Morgan had 10 points. CSB also had eight points and a career-best nine rebounds from first-year Sofia Baldessari while Kira Young had seven points and Megan Driste added six points.

Jonas reached a milestone in the game by hitting four three-pointers in 10 attempts which pushed her program-best three-point career total to 200. She also grabbed five rebounds and had an assist and a steal. Boily reached double digits for the first time this season with 12 points to go with five rebounds and three steals. Morgan added 10 points, six assists and three rebounds to CSB's offensive attack.

While CSB lost the paint battle by a 32-to-26 margin and were outscored in points off turnovers, 18-to-13, the Bennies used its advantage in shooting to earn the win. St. Ben's hit 27-of-55 shots for 49.1 percent, including 9-of-23 for 39.1 percent from three-point range. CSB, which hit 13-of-19 free throws, totaled 15 assists on 27 made baskets. With nine players scoring points, CSB had a 28-to-10 margin in bench scoring.

As for Simpson, which had 20 points from Haley Rasmussen and 19 from Molly Lutmer, made 24-of-64 field goals for 375 percent, including 7-of-22 from three-point range.

Summary
After trailing early, 7-2, the Bennies finished the first quarter on a 20-9 run and never trailed again. The Bennies were outscored, 19-to-16 in the second quarter, but led, 38-35 at the halftime break. CSB had a 22-19 margin in the third quarter and 16-15 in the fourth quarter to earn the win.

By hitting seven of its final 10 shots of the quarter, including two three pointers from both Driste and Jonas, the Bennies grabbed a 22-16 lead after one quarter. St. Ben's made 7-of-14 field goals for 50 percent, including 4-of-9 from three-point range. CSB trailed, 7-2, early before responding with an 11-0 run and a 13-7 lead after Driste knocked in her second three of the quarter. Jonas hit her 199^th career three for an 18-10 lead.

In the second quarter, Simpson outscored CSB, 19-16, but a three from Young with five seconds left gave CSB a 38-35 advantage at the half. The Bennies made 7-of-14 in the second quarter and hit 14-of-28 from the field for the half. St. Ben's also made 5-of-11 three pointers but lost the rebound battle, 29-17. Simpson, which had 11 points from Haley Rasmussen, was 14-of-36 from the field for 38.9 percent in the opening half. They also had five made threes.  

With 9:01 to play in the third quarter, Jonas hit her 200^th career three-pointer for a 41-35 lead. Arnold's pull up jumper gave CSB a 47-37 lead (5:45) as the Bennies opened the quarter on a 9-2 run. Simpson had a 6-0 run before Emily Crandall's three gave CSB a 50-43 advantage at the 4:15 mark. Then Jonas hit her fourth three of the game for a 53-44 advantage. Boily's basket pushed the lead to 55-44 before Lutmer had a three-point play at the 2:56 mark. Simpson closed the quarter on a 10-5 run to cut the lead to 60-54 at the break.

Early in the fourth quarter, CSB took a 63-54 lead after a foul shot by Baldessari. The Bennies led by as many as 11 points but Simpson cut the lead to 65-59 before Morgan's jumper at the 6:11 mark provided a 67-61 lead. A 4-0 run by the Storm, cut the deficit to two points (67-65) with 4:25 to play. Boily converted a lay-up off an assist from Morgan for a 70-65 edge with 1:45 to play. But Rasmussen hit a pair of foul shots and a field goal with 46 seconds left as the Storm cut the lead to 70-69. Then, Arnold stepped up with her critical three-pointer with 33 seconds left for a 73-69 lead. She added a free throw with 20 seconds left before Morgan ince the game with two foul shots in the final seconds.