ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The Gustavus women’s basketball team Wednesday erased a five-point halftime deficit en route to a 71-60 victory at Saint Benedict. The Gusties improve to 9-2 overall and 7-1 in the MIAC, while the Bennies drop to 8-4 overall and 5-4 in the league.
Anna Sanders (Jr., Vadnais Heights) was the player of the game, scoring a career-high 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
Saint Ben’s kept a slight edge throughout the first quarter with a 17-15 lead after the opening 10 minutes. The Bennies then gained a larger advantage in the second quarter, leading by as much as 11 points with four minutes remaining in the half. The Gusties were able to cut into the lead with a 7-1 run to close to half trailing 33-28.
The halftime adjustments paid off for the Gusties in the third quarter as they opened the frame with 13 consecutive points. The Bennies came close to regaining the lead early in the fourth quarter at 50-47, but the visitors answered with seven straight points.
Saint Ben’s made it interesting once again by cutting the Gusties lead to 57-54 with 6:42 left in the game, but once again the Gusties responded with seven consecutive points and held on for the double digit win.
Gustavus shot 49.1 percent from the floor and after not making a three-pointer in the first half, went 4-for-4 from beyond the arc in the second. Rebounds were deadlocked at 37 apiece but the Gusties forced 17 turnovers compared to giving up 12.
Syd Hauger (So., Springfield) scored 14 points off the bench. Grace Benz (Sr., Steele, N.D.) and Emma Kniefel (So., Medford) also reached double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Benz was one rebound shy of a double-double.
Gustavus next travels to St. Scholastica on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tipoff.