01/20/06

The Saints opened an 11 point halftime lead over the visiting Eagles then maintained their margin throughout most of the second half for a 61-51 win that pushes their conference record over the .500 mark and ties them with Northwestern at 3-2 in the UMAC.

Northwestern held the lead through most of the opening 12 minutes but it was the Saints who steadily opened up a lead over the remaining time.

St. Scholastica stretched the margin to 15 points four different times in the first 10 minutes of the second half but then went cold from the field for a brief spell that brought the Eagles back to within 6 with 3:04 to play.

Jen Kne's jumper from the top-left of the key stopped a 7-0 run by Northwestern and raised the lead to 8. The teams traded baskets for the next two minutes but with 1:05 to go and down by 8, the Eagles were forced to foul down the stretch.

Kne and Jessie Stenberg both hit a pair of one-and-ones to cement the win for the Saints, a victory that not only moved the Saints closer to the top of the UMAC but evened their overall record to 8-8 on the season.

Three Saints reached double-figures in scoring led by Kne's 16. Stenberg had a season-high 11 and freshman Erin Niles chipped in 12 points.

St. Scholastica out-rebounded the Eagles 34-29 with Sarah Klocke snaring a game-high 8 and Heather Saralampi grabbing 7 for the Saints. Of Klocke's rebounds, 7 were on the defensive end and with her 4 steals and 1 block, she was the thorn in the side of the Eagles they couldn't get rid of.