ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict basketball team (1-0), which was led by Megan Morgan with 16 points and Sophia Jonas with 14, kicked off the 2024-25 season in dominant fashion, cruising to a 78-49 victory over Minnesota-Morris (0-1) at the CSB Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 9.

The Bennies will look to build on this performance when they face UW-River Falls (1-0) at 3 p.m. on Sunday in the second day of the tournament. UW-River Falls defeated Hamline, 65-58, in the tournament's opening game. After Hamline and Minnesota-Morris play in the 1 p.m., game on Sunday, the Bennies and UW-River Falls will face each other to wrap up the tournament at 3 p.m.

Saint Benedict's offense was sharp, particularly from beyond the arc, as they hit 14-of-35 three-pointers (40%) and shot 46.7% overall (28-of-60). Defensively, they stifled Minnesota-Morris, holding the Cougars to just 32.8% shooting (20-of-61), including a cold 3-of-13 (23.1%) from three-point range.

"It was an outstanding effort for a season opener," said CSB head coach Mike Durbin, who secured his 750th career win (746 of which have come at St. Ben's). "We played exceptional defense from the start and had contributions across the board. It was really good, solid basketball."

Junior guard Megan Morgan led the way for the Bennies with 16 points, five rebounds, an assist, and a steal. She shot an efficient 6-of-9 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from three-point range. Senior guard Sophia Jonas added 14 points, four assists, and a steal, hitting 5-of-13 from the field, with two of her makes coming from beyond the arc. Jonas, CSB's all-time leader in three-pointers, now has 195 career triples and is closing in on the 200-mark.

The Bennies' depth was evident, as 12 players scored in the game. First-year post Sofia Baldessari contributed nine points and seven rebounds, hitting 3-of-7 from three-point range. First-year Tatum Findley also scored nine points, shooting 3-of-5 from the floor, and added three rebounds.

CSB came out strong, dominating the first quarter 27-9 behind a 12-0 run, with Morgan and Jonas each hitting two three-pointers. The Bennies shot 61.5% from the floor (8-of-13) in the opening frame, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. Their defense was equally impressive, limiting UMM to just 4-of-14 shooting (28.6%) in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Bennies' offense cooled, hitting only 25% (3-of-12) from the floor, but their defense remained firm, allowing just six points from the Cougars and taking a 36-15 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, Saint Benedict broke the game open with a 20-8 run to start the period. They shot 50% from the field (9-of-18), including 5-of-11 from three-point range, to extend their lead to 56-23. In the final quarter, CSB finished strong, shooting 53.8% from the field (7-of-13) and scoring 18 points to close out the game with a commanding 78-49 victory.

Though UMM outscored the Bennies 32-20 in the paint and held a 39-26 edge in rebounds, CSB capitalized on turnovers, forcing 19 and recording nine steals. The Bennies also enjoyed a 15-10 advantage in points off turnovers and scored 10 second-chance points. Overall, CSB had 13 assists on their 28 made field goals.