ST. JOSEPH, Minn. –  After rallying for a 68-64 come-from-behind road win in the conference quarterfinals, fifth-seeded College of Saint Benedict basketball team (17-9) will face a road test against No. 1 seeded Bethel (21-4) in the MIAC playoffs semifinals on Thursday, Feb. 27 in Arden Hills, Minn., with tip-off set for 7 p.m., at Robertson Center Gym. 

For tickets, go to https://miac.hometownticketing.com/embed/all

Saint Benedict in MIAC Tournament
CSB is 18-16 all-time in MIAC Tournament play with three titles - 2008-9 (57-48 over Concordia), 2006-07 (56-54 over Gustavus), 2004-05 (77-74 over Carleton) and a runner up finish in 2001-02 (Carleton 79-63). The Bennies have advanced to the MIAC semifinals three straight years. A year ago, CSB defeated No. 4 Bethel, 72-69, in the quarterfinals before a 68-45 setback to No. 1 Gustavus. Two years ago, fourth-seeded Saint Benedict recorded a 73-55 win over fifth-seeded Bethel in the opening round at St. Joseph, Minn., before falling to top seed Gustavus, 97-62.  Click here for MIAC playoff history.

Playoffs Schedule – February 27
No. 5 CSB vs. No. 1 Bethel, 7 p.m., Robertson Center Gym, Arden Hills, Minn.
No. 3 Hamline vs. No. 2 Gustavus, 8 p.m., Gus Young Court, St. Peter, Minn.

During the regular season, CSB was 16-9 and the Bennies finished tied at 11-7 in MIAC play with Concordia and Saint Mary's. Bethel finished 17-1 and the top seed. Gustavus is the No. 2 seed at 24-1 and 17-1 in the MIAC while Hamline was 19-7 and 13-5 in league play.

The championships will be held at 3 p.m., on Saturday, March 1 at the home of the high seed. Tickets are $12 for general admission, $3 for students with ID and free for children five and under. MIAC passes accepted.

Inside CSB Basketball
CSB is 8-3 over the past 11 games after 68-64 victory in the MIAC quarterfinals on Tuesday, Feb. 25 in Moorhead as Sophia Jonas had 13 points and Lauren Arnold, 12. CSB trailed 60-52 but closed on a 16-4 run to earn the win and advance to the MIAC semifinals. Prior to that, CSB recorded a 75-58 win over Augsburg on Senior Night on Wednesday, Feb. 19 and a 78-66 loss to top-seeded Bethel on Saturday, Feb. 22 in Arden Hills. Prior to that CSB took a 73-62 loss to No. 8 Gustavus on Saturday. The Bennies also recently recorded a 69-58 decision over Macalester at home on Feb. 12 when Jonas had a season-high 23 points with five three-pointers while setting the MIAC career three-point record. Prior to an 83-73 setback to Concordia on Feb. 8, CSB had won five straight games including an 84-53 road win over St. Scholastica on Feb. 5. CSB guard Megan Morgan had 22 points in both the Concordia and St. Scholastica contests to lead CSB, which is 8-6 since the holiday break. Prior to defeating the Saints, CSB had a 65-60 win over Carleton College on Feb. 1, as Jonas made six threes and scored 20 points.  St. Ben's also had a 63-52 road win over St. Olaf, a 63-44 home win at Augsburg and a 73-64 home win over Saint Mary's. CSB also has home MIAC wins over St. Olaf, 60-42, on Dec. 4; and Carleton College, 72-52, on Dec. 7 and a road win at Saint Mary's, 68-62, on Dec. 10.

Notes on Bethel
Directed by head coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer (330-221, 22nd season), the Royals have rolled to a 21-4 overall mark with a 17-1 record and are tied with No. 4 Gustavus for first in the MIAC. Since a 73-61 loss at home to Gustavus on Feb. 8, the Royals have won four straight games including a 74-34 win over St. Scholastica on Feb. 19 on the road. Bethel is averaging 67.8 points while allowing 53.8 points per-game. The Royals hit 42.2 percent from the field while making 32.8 percent from three-point range and 72.6 percent at the foul line with a 38.8-to-31.5 rebound edge. Elly Schmitz leads the team in scoring at 14.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per-game. Anna Garfield has added 12.1 points and 5.2 rebounds while Emily Erickson is providing 11.0 points per-game.

Series Notes
Series Notes - CSB leads, 54-32
In the all-time series between Bethel and Saint Benedict, the Bennies own a 54-32 series edge. St. Ben's, which lost to the Royals, 78-69 on Jan. 8 at Claire Lynch Hall and 78-66 on Feb. 22 at Arden Hills, has a 29-13 home record against the Royals and a 25-19 in road games and a 50-26 mark in MIAC play. In the first match-up between the schools, CSB dropped a 64-46 decision to Bethel on Dec. 12, 1981. St. Ben's won 30 straight games from Jan. 15, 1997, to Dec. 8, 2010.  A year ago, CSB played Bethel in the MIAC playoffs quarterfinals and advanced to the semifinals with a 72-69 win.

 St. Benedict – By the Numbers
Through 23 games, St. Benedict has a 65.7-to-61.2 points per game advantage over their opponents. The Bennies are making 41.0 percent from the field with an average of 23.3 shots per game. From three-point range, St. Ben's converts 31.2 percent of its shots with an average of 7.1 triples per outing. Four times, St. Ben's has recorded double-digit threes in a game, including a high of 14 against Minnesota Morris on Nov. 9, 2024. St. Ben's hit nine or more threes in a game four of the past six contests. At the foul line, CSB has made 71.0 percent. On the glass, opponents have a 36.8-to-32.7 rebound edge. CSB has forced 15.0 turnovers which has resulted in 14.8 points per game in points off turnovers. St. Benedict averages 6.9 steals per game and dishes 10.7 assists per game.

Player Notes
St. Ben's is led individually by senior guard Sophia Jonas with 12.5 points per game while junior guard Megan Morgan is supplying 12.0 points per game.

Jonas hit a trio of threes with 13 points overall in the MIAC win over Concordia on Tuesday. Earlier, she made five threes in the win over Macalester to become the MIAC's all-time career leader in made three-pointers. With another three against nationally ranked Gustavus, three more against Bethel in the regular season finale and three against Concordia in the MIAC playoffs, the senior guard now has 263 career threes. She surpassed the MIAC mark of 255 by Brooklyn Paulson of Saint Mary's during 2018-2023. Jonas also holds the MIAC season mark of 84 made threes in 2022-23. She has 70 made threes in 2024-25, a mark that leads the league and ranks in the top 25 in DIII.

Jonas is also averaging 3.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. With 63 double-digit scoring games, the senior has 1,151 career points (12th, all-time at CSB), and has put together eight 20-point games in her career with the 23 points against Macalester on Feb. 12 her high total this year. At the nine-minute mark of a 63-44 win over Augsburg on Jan. 22, Jonas became the 22^nd player in school history to reach 1,000 points. Against St. Catherine this year, Jonas had her career-first double double with 16 points and a career-best 11 rebounds. She has a career-high 26 points vs UW-River Falls on Nov. 16, 2023. Against Saint Mary's on Dec. 10, 2024, Jonas recorded a career-best five steals. She has made six triples in a game four times in her career, including twice in 2023-24 (UW-River Falls, Minnesota Morris). Six times, she has had five assists in a game, including three times in the 2024-25 season. Jonas has made three or more triples 12 times this year and 52 times in her career. Thirteen times, the Hudson, Wis., standout has made five or more threes in a game during her standout career. She has started 91 games (102 played) and has made 395-of-1,089 field goals for 36.3 percent, including the 263 threes on 754 attempts for 34.9 percent. She is 98-of-129 from the foul line for 76 percent with 1,151 points, 268 rebounds, 178 assists and 101 steals.

Morgan, an exercise, and health sciences major from Winona, Minn., has scored in double-digits 17 times this season in 26 games and 30 times in her career.  She is also averaging 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. This year Morgan has made 98-of-240 field goals for 40.8 percent, which includes 37-of-114 from three-point range for 32.5 percent. She has knocked down 78-of-94 free throws for 83.0 percent, a mark that ranks second in the MIAC. In her career, Morgan, who has started 55 and played in 76 games, is 220-of-518 on field goals for 42.5 percent, which includes 76-of-225 for 33.8 percent from three-point range. She is 155-of-188 for 82.4 percent at the foul line.

Morgan has career marks of 671 points, 319 career rebounds, 149 assists, 21 blocks and 50 steals. Morgan, who has five career 20-point games, has scored 22 points three times this year including against Bethel on Jan. 8, St. Scholastica on Feb. 5 and Concordia-Moorhead on Feb. 8.  She also has career-high 26 points against St. Catherine on Feb. 17, 2024. Her career-high in rebounds is 10 three times and twice has double doubles. With seven assists against Carleton on Dec. 7, 2024, Morgan had her career best.

Senior Olivia Boily is averaging 8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds this season and has 11 double-digit games this year and 16 in her career She is shooting 100-of-217 from the field for 46.1 percent. Her career-best in points is 15 points vs St. Olaf on Jan. 29, 2024, and Macalester on Feb. 12, 2025. Her career-best in rebounds is 11 against Carleton on Jan. 26, 2023. Boily has 531 points, 55 steals, 321 rebounds, 59 assists and 30 blocks.

First-year guard Tatum Findley is averaging 7.3 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 45.8 percent from the floor by hitting 55-of-120 shots. She is 10-of-31 from three-point range and 54-of-72 for 75.0 percent at the foul line. Findley, who has nine double digits scoring games, has a career-high of 15 points against UW-River Falls and Saint Mary's this year. She scored 11 points in her first MIAC playoff game against Concordia on Feb. 25, 2025.
 
First-year guard Lauren Arnold was named St. Cloud Orthopedics/CSB Athlete of the Week after hitting the game-winning shot with 2:30 left in the game in a 47-44 win over Hamline on Jan. 4. Arnold set her career-high in points with 16 against Augsburg on Feb. 19. Arnold, who has 13 games of double digit points this year, including in 10 straight games, is averaging 9.2 points and 2.8 rebounds while making 50.3 percent from the field on 85-of-169 shooting. Additionally, Arnold has hit 18-of-48 three-pointers for 37.5 percent and 50-of-57 foul shots for 87.7 percent while dishing 50 assists with 28 steals.  She had a career-high six rebounds against John Carroll on Dec. 17 and a career-best six assists against Concordia-Moorhead. In her first MIAC playoff game, she recorded 12 points and scored the final six points in the Bennies' 68-64 come-from-behind win over Concordia on Feb. 25, 2025.

First year forward Sofia Baldessari is averaging 8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds. She has seven made triples and is 17-of-29 for 58.6 percent from the foul line. Baldessari scored a career-high 14 points in the win over Carleton when she was 7-of-9 from the field, also a career-best. She also has a high of nine rebounds against Simpson on Nov. 30. Baldessari has four games of double-digit points, which have occurred over the past six games.

In her first game this season, Kira Young scored 10 points and hit 3 of-5 field goals, including 2-of-3 from three-point range in a road win over UW-Eau Claire. For the season Young is averaging 7.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Young has 433 career points and 291 rebounds. She has a career-best single game point total of 21 points against Bethel on Feb. 22, 2024 and against Concordia in the MIAC Playoffs on Feb. 25, 2025, she set a career-high with 14 rebounds, the most since the 2021-22 season (Carla Meyer, 14). Young, who has two, 20-point games has 19 career double-digit scoring games, including five of the past nine games, with one career double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) which came against St. Olaf on Jan. 29. She has four double-digit rebound games.

Megan Driste, a junior guard, is averaging 3.1 points and 2.1 rebounds. She had a career-high of 12 points against Concordia on Wednesday, Jan. 15. She had a career-best three triples against St. Olaf on Dec. 4 and matched the three triples against Concordia and Carleton on Feb. 1.

CSB led by Head Coach Mike Durbin
In his 39th season, Durbin has coached 74 All-MIAC First Team selections, 55 honorable mention athletes, 15 players named to the All-MIAC Defensive Team and 15 all-first year team picks. Durbin has a 766-293 (.732) overall coaching record and a 762-271 mark with Saint Benedict. He ranks 15th among all active coaches regardless of NCAA division and has the most wins by an active DIII coach. He 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 594-196 mark in conference play. The 594 wins is the most by an active coach in the MIAC. Durbin became the 17th active coach at all levels of the NCAA to reach the 700-win milestone on Feb. 24, 2021, when he earned his 700th win at the College of Saint Benedict with an 88-83 decision over St. Thomas at home at Claire Lynch Hall.