ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — The College of Saint Benedict basketball team (6-3, 1-1 MIAC), which has six wins in nine games, faces  Gustavus Adolphus (4-2, 1-1 MIAC) on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m., at Claire Lynch Hall before the Bennies break for the holidays.

CSB will open 2026 on the road with back-to-back MIAC trips — at Augsburg on Jan. 3 and Macalester on Jan. 7 — before returning home to face Hamline on Jan. 10.

Bennies season 6-3, 1-1 in MIAC
Saint Benedict's early-season surge began with a statement. A 91–57 rout of Minnesota Morris — the program's first 90-point outing since 2019 — set an assertive tone on opening weekend. The Bennies followed with a hard fought 51–50 win over Bethany Lutheran to claim the CSB Tipoff Tournament title on Nov. 7–8.

Sophomore guard Drew Buslee (Eagan, Minn.) has been a leader on both offense and defense for CSB. Her 22-point opener and series of late-game heroics earned her tournament MVP honors. Even in CSB's lone early loss — a 61–60 thriller against UW–Eau Claire — Buslee delivered one of the most complete performances the program has seen in years: 25 points, seven rebounds, eight steals, and three assists. Her eight steals marked the most by a Bennie since 2007, a mark she again reached in a win over Colorado College.  

After a setback to UW-Eau Claire, CSB answered with four wins in five games, beginning with a dominant 75–42 decision over Dubuque. Buslee added 16 points and five steals in that win, while Morgan scored 11 points and 14 Bennies found the scoresheet. The defense dictated nearly every possession, forcing 32 turnovers and converting them into a 37–7 advantage in points off giveaways.

Against Nebraska Wesleyan, an 86–57 victory on Nov. 16, Morgan posted a season-best 18 points, and senior guard Megan Driste (Sartell, Minn.) turned in the finest performance of her career: 17 points, five assists, four threes, and three steals.

CSB carried that momentum into conference play with a 59–53 road win over St. Olaf on Nov. 20. Morgan powered the offense with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Lauren Arnold (Chanhassen, Minn.) added 15 points, drilling six clutch free throws in the closing moments.

At the Colorado College Fall Classic, the Bennies edged host Colorado College, 51–48, behind another assertive showing from Buslee, who totaled 22 points and eight steals — her third 20-point effort of the season. She enters the weekend averaging 15.8 points and 3.9 steals per game. CSB closed the event with a 66–57 loss to Whitman College despite 15 points and six steals from Buslee and 11 points from Morgan. In a 77-64 setback to Concordia on Dec. 6, the Bennies were led by Buslee with 19 points and seven rebounds while Arnold had 16  points and Morgan, 14.

By the Numbers: Defense Leading the Charge
CSB enters the game with Gustavus as among the MIAC's most balanced teams, fifth in scoring offense (66.0 ppg) and tied for fifth in scoring defense (56.8 ppg). The Bennies hold opponents to just 25.4 percent from beyond the arc, the fifth-best mark in the conference.

Turnovers have become a signature advantage for the Bennies, which leads the MIAC in turnover margin at +9.56 (14^th in DIII) and its 22.89 forced turnovers per game is the best in the MIAC. With 11.89 steals per game (league-best 107 overall), CSB is third in the MIAC. The Bennies'  0.82 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fourth in the conference and its 17.33 free throws per game is 10th in DIII. 

In the MIAC, Buslee sits sixth in scoring (16.1 ppg), fifth in made threes per game (2.0), sixth in three-point percentage (32.1 percent), and second in steals (3.7), with a league-leading 33 overall. Buslee's 33 steals is eighth in DIII and her 3.7 steals per game ranks 28th.  The junior, who has three 20-point games and seven double digit scoring games, also ranks eighth in free throws with 49 (2^nd, MIAC) nationally. Morgan adds 11.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, while Young contributes 8.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. Arnold is averaging 9.3 points and 2.0 steals per game.

Scouting the Gusties
Gustavus Adolphus (4-2, 1–1 MIAC), led by 14th-year head coach Laurie Kelly, has opened the MIAC season 1-1 with a 4-2 overall record. In recent action, the Gusties defeated Hamline, 53-50, on Dec. 3 before an 83-73 double overtime loss to Saint Mary's on Dec. 6 in Winona, Minn.

Gustavus holds a 62.3–59.5 scoring advantage over opponents while shooting 41.7 percent from the floor and 27.8 percent from three point range as well as 60 percent from the foul line. GAC owns a 36.0-to-30.0 rebound advantage and forces 19.33 turnovers per game for fourth in the MIAC. Two Gusties players averaged double digits in points, including Ella Peters at 11.2 per game as well as 7.5 rebounds while Whitley Ronn is adding 11.0 points and 5.8 rebounds.   

Series Breakdown
CSB leads the all-time series, 50–37, including a 27-16 advantage in home games. In the last matchup on Feb. 15, 2025, the Gusties took a 73-62 decision. Gustavus, which has 10 straight wins in the series, lost to CSB, 87-69, in the first matchup on Dec. 14, 1981.  

Durbin ranks among all-time leaders nationally in wins
Head coach Mike Durbin, now in his 41st collegiate season and 40th at Saint Benedict, enters the weekend with a 768–275 record at CSB and a 772–297 career mark. He ranks third all-time in Division III victories and owns 595 MIAC wins — the most among active coaches in the conference.