ST. PAUL, Minn. – Despite strong performances from senior guard
Sophia Jonas and first-year point guard
Lauren Arnold, the College of Saint Benedict (9-4, 4-2 MIAC) fell 70-65 to St. Catherine (7-6, 2-4 MIAC) on Saturday, Jan. 11, at the Butler Center. Jonas recorded her first career double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Arnold contributed a career-high 15 points in the loss.
The defeat drops CSB to 9-4 overall and 4-2 in MIAC play, leaving the Bennies tied for third place in the conference. CSB will look to bounce back with a road game against Concordia College on Wednesday, Jan. 15, in Moorhead, Minn.
Jonas also had a trio of three-pointers, which increased her career total to 226, a mark that ranks second all-time in the MIAC. Her 16 points bring her career total to 970. Arnold, in her fifth double-digit scoring game of the season, finished with 15 points, three rebounds, two steals, and shot 7-of-11 from the field, including one three-pointer.
Senior forward
Olivia Boily added 12 points, five rebounds, and two steals, while first-year
Tatum Findley contributed 10 points. Boily made 6-of-11 field goals, continuing her solid play.
As a team, the Bennies shot 27-of-58 (46.6%) from the field, outpacing St. Catherine's 24-of-59 (40.7%). Both teams were 6-of-20 from beyond the arc, but the Wildcats capitalized on free throws, making 16-of-22, while CSB hit just 5-of-7. St. Catherine also outscored CSB in second-chance points, 16-7, and held a 40-32 advantage in points in the paint, while CSB scored 11 points off turnovers.
Game Summary -
CSB came out strong in the first quarter, taking a 26-14 lead thanks to 10-of-15 shooting (66.7%), including 3-of-6 from three-point range. Junior guard
Megan Morgan scored nine of those 26 points as the Bennies jumped to an 11-0 lead in the first 2:36. Jonas capped off the first quarter with a three-pointer at the 1:05 mark, helping CSB maintain its double-digit lead.
However, St. Catherine responded in the second quarter, outscoring CSB 28-17 to narrow the margin to 43-42 at halftime. Arnold's three-pointer with three seconds remaining in the half gave the Bennies the one-point advantage. CSB shot 17-of-30 (56.7%) in the first half, but St. Catherine had the upper hand in free throws, going 12-of-15 compared to CSB's 3-of-5.
In the third quarter, both teams scored 13 points, with CSB holding a slim 56-55 lead heading into the final frame. After exchanging leads several times in the period, Jonas' lay-up with 54 seconds remaining gave the Bennies a 56-52 advantage. However, St. Catherine hit a three-pointer in the final seconds to close the gap to 56-55.
The Wildcats came out strong in the fourth quarter, opening with a 5-0 run to take a 60-56 lead at the 8:39 mark. CSB responded with a 5-2 run, including a three-pointer from Jonas and a basket by Boily, to briefly reclaim the lead at 63-62. However, St. Catherine closed the game on a 7-3 run, holding CSB to just 4-of-14 (28.6%) shooting in the fourth quarter, to secure the win.
