NORTHFIELD, Minn. — Talk about a a little conference-opening flair for the dramatic.
 
The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team kicked off Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play in memorable—albeit nerve-wracking—fashion, getting a basket by Emma Schaefer (Roseville, Minn.) with less than one second remaining in overtime to lift the Cardinals to a 61-60 victory over Carleton Wednesday at West Gym.
 
The Cardinals, who led 21-19 at the half, and 40-39 after three quarters, trailed by as many 10 with just over two minutes remaining in regulation.
 
Fortunately for coach Brent Pollari, late-game heroics are nothing new to the Cardinals, who promptly outscored the Knights 14-4 in those final two minutes—the final basket a buzzer-beater by Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) to knot the game at 56-56 and force a five-minute overtime period.
 
And the Cardinals needed all five minutes to seal the win.
 
Carleton scored four of the first six points in OT, and led 60-59—and had the ball—with 18 seconds remaining. The Cardinals promptly forced the Knights into a turnover, setting up Schaefer's last-second bank shot from the top of the key that iced the come-from-behind win.
 
Blattner led the way for the Cardinal offense, scoring a 23 points and adding 17 rebounds for her second-straight double-double—and third in Saint Mary's five games. Schaefer chipped in 13 points, while Same Jones (White Bear Lake, Minn.) netted 11 and Kirsten Keefe (Chatfield, Minn.) notched her first collegiate double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Samantha Cooke scored a game-high 26 points and Cece Leone added 10 in the losing effort for Carleton.
 
The Cardinals (1-0 MIAC, 5-1 overall) return to conference action on Saturday, entertaining Concordia in a 1 p.m. matchup at the Saint Mary's Gym.