The Gustavus women’s basketball team improved to 14-2 on the season and 11-2 in the MIAC by defeating Augsburg 72-65 in Minneapolis on Monday night. It was a big night for junior guard Jess Vadnais (Hudson, Wis.) as she scored 20 points, including her 1,000th career point with 14:42 left in the second half. She becomes the eighth player in the history of the women’s basketball program to reach the 1,000 point plateau. Teammate Bri Monahan (Sr., Hutchinson, Minn.) scored her 1,000th career point in the final game of last season.
Gustavus got off to a fast start in the game and led 10-2 just three-and-a-half minutes after the tip-off. Augsburg managed to keep the game close and cut the lead to one at 26-25 with six minutes left in the half. The Gusties took a seven-point lead (39-32) into the locker room.
Gustavus scored the first six points of the second half to extend the lead to 13 at 45-32, but Augsburg would not allow the Gusties to pull and stayed with nine to 10 points for most of the final 20 minutes. A lay-up by Michelle Richter with 3:23 on the clock pulled the Auggies to within seven points at 66-59, but that is as close as Augsburg would get and Gustavus held on for the 72-65 victory.
With the win, the Gusties swept the season series from the Auggies and posted their 19th win in the last 20 meetings dating back to the 1996-97 season.
Bri Monahan led all scorers with 21 points. She was closely followed by Vadnais with 20. Julia Schultz (Fy., Marshall, Minn.) was also in double figures for Gustavus with 14 points.
Gustavus will return home to host Bethel on Wednesday at 7:45 pm.