ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Senior guard Megan Driste (Sartell, Minn.) knocked down a clutch go-ahead three-pointer with 28 seconds left and Lauren Arnold (Chanhassen, Minn.) iced the game with two foul shots in the closing seconds to lift College of Saint Benedict basketball (14-8, 9-6 MIAC) to a 72-68 home win over Macalester (2-19, 1-14 MIAC) on Wednesday (Feb. 11).

The win pushed the Bennies to 14-8 overall and 9-6 in conference play, keeping them firmly in the hunt for a MIAC playoff spot and just one game out of sixth place.

Arnold paced CSB with 17 points and five rebounds, continuing her late-game heroics by knocking down clutch free throws for the second straight contest. She was a perfect 8-for-8 from the line on the night and now leads NCAA Division III with a scorching 94.0 free-throw percentage, converting 63 of 67 attempts this season.

The Bennies placed three players in double figures. Sophomore guard Drew Buslee (Eagan, Minn.) stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, four assists, four steals, four rebounds, and a blocked shot. She went 7-for-9 at the stripe, helping CSB finish an impressive 24-for-27 (88.9 percent) as a team. Senior forward Kira Young added 13 points, two steals, and two rebounds while hitting 7-of-8 free throws. Driste finished with seven points on 3-of-5 shooting to go along with three assists and three steals.

It was a game defined by momentum swings. The Bennies built a lead as large as 11 points and controlled the scoreboard for more than 38 minutes. Macalester, however, refused to fade. The Scots placed four players in double figures, led by Sydnee Smith's 16 points and 14 rebounds, and shot 47.5 percent from the field (28-of-59) compared to CSB's 39.3 percent (22-of-56). Macalester also held a 6-4 advantage from beyond the arc.

But the difference came at the free-throw line, where the Bennies' 24 makes was significantly more than the Scots' six. CSB also forced 24 turnovers, recording 15 steals and turning those miscues into a 16-11 edge in points off turnovers. It marked the 15th time this season the Bennies have tallied double-digit steals.

CSB came out firing, opening a 12-4 lead by hitting 6-of-8 shots, including 3-of-4 from Emma Theisen (Rosemount, Minn.), who finished with six points, two steals, and two rebounds. The Bennies closed the first quarter ahead 21-11 after shooting 56.3 percent (9-of-16).

Macalester responded in the second quarter, outscoring CSB, 15-10, as the Bennies shot just 3-of-15. The Scots trimmed the deficit to 31-26 by halftime.

The third quarter turned into an offensive showcase. Macalester caught fire, hitting 11-of-13 shots (84.6 percent), including 3-of-3 from three-point range. CSB countered by shooting 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) and knocking down 10 free throws, but its lead narrowed to just 54-53 heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Scots again shot slightly better from the field, but the Bennies maintained their composure at the line, finishing with an 8-1 advantage in free throws in the final frame. Driste's clutch triple and Arnold's steady hand at the stripe ultimately secured the victory and kept CSB's MIAC playoff hopes alive.

The Bennies will look to build on the momentum Saturday (Feb. 14) when they travel to St. Paul, Minn., for a 1 p.m. matchup against Hamline.