ST. JOSEPH, Minn. -- With the momentum of six wins in its last eight games, the College of Saint Benedict basketball team (12-5, 7-3 MIAC) heads north for a pivotal MIAC road matchup Wednesday, Jan. 28, at Concordia-Moorhead (14-3, 8-2 MIAC). Tipoff is set for 5:45 p.m., in Moorhead, Minn.

As the conference race tightens entering the season's midpoint, the Bennies find themselves tied for fourth in the MIAC standings, while Concordia sits atop the league, tied for first with an 8-2 conference record.

Season Review 
Saint Benedict's 2024–25 season began with an emphatic statement on Nov. 7, as the Bennies opened the year with a 91–57 win over Minnesota Morris — their first 90-point outing since 2019. The next night, CSB captured the CSB Tipoff Tournament title with a dramatic 51–50 victory over Bethany Lutheran.

Sophomore guard Drew Buslee (Eagan, Minn.) immediately emerged as a focal point for the Bennies, scoring 22 points in the season opener and earning tournament MVP honors. She followed that performance with a historic night on Nov. 12 at UW–Eau Claire, pouring in 25 points while adding seven rebounds, eight steals, and three assists. Her eight steals were the most by a Bennie since 2007 — a mark she later matched against Colorado College.

After the narrow UW-Eau Claire loss, Saint Benedict responded by winning four of its next five games, beginning with a dominant 75–42 victory over Dubuque on Nov. 15. CSB's defense fueled the win, forcing 32 turnovers and converting them into a 37–7 advantage in points off turnovers. Fourteen Bennies found the scoring column, led by Buslee's 16 points and five steals, while Megan Morgan (Winona, Minn.) added 11 points.

The defensive pressure continued the following night in an 86–57 win over Nebraska Wesleyan. Morgan recorded a season-high 18 points, while senior guard Megan Driste (Sartell, Minn.) delivered the best performance of her career with 17 points, five assists, four three-pointers, and three steals.

Conference play opened with a gritty 59–53 road win at St. Olaf on Nov. 19. Morgan led all scorers with 18 points and eight rebounds, and Lauren Arnold (Chanhassen, Minn.) sealed the win at the free-throw line, finishing with 15 points.

At the Colorado College Fall Classic, Buslee continued her standout play, scoring 22 points and recording eight steals in a 51–48 win over the host Tigers on Nov. 28. Saint Benedict closed the tournament with a 66–57 loss to Whitman College despite strong efforts from Buslee (15 points, six steals) and Morgan (11 points).

Following losses to Concordia on Dec. 6 and Whitman on Nov. 29, St. Ben's rebounded with one of their most significant victories of the season — a 67–45 win over Gustavus Adolphus on Dec. 10 at Claire Lynch Hall. Morgan powered the win with 21 points, nine rebounds, four three-pointers, and three steals, as CSB snapped a lengthy drought against the Gusties, earning its first win in the series since 2020.

Saint Benedict carried that momentum into January with a 78–70 victory over Augsburg on Jan. 3. Morgan narrowly missed a triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and a career-high eight assists, while Arnold posted a career-best 19 points. The Bennies followed with a 72–57 road win at Macalester on Jan. 7, led by Morgan's 19 points, with first-year Emma Theisen (Rosemount, Minn.) adding a career-high 13 points and eight rebounds.

After a 65–60 setback to Hamline on Jan. 10, the Bennies responded with a 60–50 win over St. Catherine, as Young scored 19 points and Buslee added 10. CSB then climbed to second place in the MIAC with a 70–57 win over Carleton, highlighted by Arnold's career-high 25 points, Alyssa Sadlovsky's career-best 13, and Young's double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Most recently, Saint Benedict dropped a 67–47 decision to (RV) Bethel before bouncing back with a 73–67 win over Saint Mary's. Sadlovsky delivered a career-high 19 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting performance, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, while Arnold added 19 points in defeating Saint Mary's.

By the Numbers - Defense is bedrock of  Bennies' success
Defense continues to anchor CSB's success. St. Ben's lead the MIAC in turnover margin (+7.29), ranking 21st nationally in Division III, while forcing a league-best 21.53 turnovers per game. CSB also ranks among the MIAC leaders in steals (11.5 per game), scoring offense (65.9 ppg), and scoring defense (58.2 ppg), holding nine opponents under 60 points. From the free-throw line, the Bennies are among the nation's best, shooting 76.4 percent — fifth nationally — and averaging 16.59 made free throws per game.

Buslee leads CSB at 12.6 points per game, with a team-high 31 three-pointers, and paces the MIAC with 52 steals. Arnold is averaging 11.6 points per game and leads the nation in free-throw percentage at 94.0 percent. Young is contributing 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while Theisen leads the team on the glass at 5.9 rebounds per contest.

Scouting Concordia
Concordia enters Wednesday's matchup tied for first in the MIAC under sixth-year head coach Kim Wagers. Maya Metcalf leads the Cobbers with 15.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, while Molly Musland adds 9.6 points. Concordia is coming off a 59–53 loss to (RV) Bethel.

Series Snapshot 
Saint Benedict holds a 48–45 advantage in the all-time series, including a 15–29 mark on the road. Earlier this year Concordia recorded a 77-64 win at CSB.

Durbin reaches 778 wins
On the sideline, head coach Mike Durbin continues to add to a legendary career. In his 40th season at Saint Benedict, Durbin owns 774 wins with the Bennies and 778 overall, ranking third all-time in Division III and standing as the MIAC's active leader in conference victories.