ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — When the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team squared off against Saint Benedict in a nonconference game on Nov. 22, the Cardinals used a 48-40 second-half scoring advantage to hand the Blazers a 61-53 setback at Clare Lynch Hall.
Saturday afternoon, the Cardinals returned to the Blazers' home court—this time with an Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Playoff berth on the line.
And for the second time in as many meetings, the Cardinals used a big second half to beat the Blazers, 61-53—and earn Saint Mary's its fifth consecutive trip to the MIAC Playoffs.
Bridget Pethke (New London, Wis.) led the way for the Cardinals—who won their third straight and remained tied with St. Thomas atop the conference standings with a 12-2 record—scoring a team-best 18 points, knocking down 6 of 15 field goals attempts, including a season-high five 3-pointers.
Micaela Meredith (Bloomington, Minn.) chipped in 16 points and
Emma Schaefer (Roseville, Minn.) added 11.
The Cardinals had the upper hand through the game's opening two quarters, leading 17-14 after the first, and pushing that advantage five, 31-26 at halftime.
Saint Mary's outscored the Blazers 20-16 in the third quarter for a 51-42 lead—and it appeared to have things under control. But Saint Benedict scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter to regain the lead, 52-51.
Meredith knocked down a jump to give Saint Mary's a 53-52 lead—and spark a game-ending 9-2 run that iced the win for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals shot 35 percent from the field (19-for-54)—but were bolstered by an 8-for-17 showing from behind the 3-point line. CSB shot 33 percent from the field (18-for-54), but were just 3 of 15 from behind the 3-point line and made just 14 of 22 free throws.
Allison Newton scored a team-high 13 points and Niki Fokken chipped in a double-double of 10 points and 16 boards in the losing effort for Saint Benedict.
The Cardinals (12-2 MIAC, 18-3 overall) are back on the road on Wednesday, traveling to Arden Hills, Minn., for a 7 p.m. conference showdown against fifth-place Bethel.
