With relentless pressure all game long, the visiting Bulldogs from Minnesota-Duluth picked up their first win of the year in a 72-53 defeat of the host Saints at the Burns Wellness Commons on Wednesday evening.

 

The Division III Saints (1-5) played point for point with the D-II Bulldogs (1-4) early, forcing five ties and holding a lead on four separate occasions through nearly six minutes of action. UMD converted a pair of free throw attempts at the 14:03 mark that gave them a 12-11 lead, one that then stretched to a 10 point margin at the half as they outscored the hosts 31-21.

 

Both teams put more offense on the floor in the second half, UMD scoring 41 and the Saints 32, but the Saints could never get closer than within 14 points down the stretch as they suffered their fifth loss in a row after opening the season with a victory.

 

St. Scholastica and the Bulldogs both shot 44 percent from the field in the second half and the Saints actually out shot the visitors for the game (40 percent to 37 percent), but UMD scored 21 points off turnovers compared to only 12 by the Saints, out rebounded their hosts 45 to 28, and poured in 30 points from in the paint while the smaller Saints scored 18.

 

Saints senior Whitney Latham (Clear Lake, Minn./Becker HS) had a game-high 19 points with junior Megan Downs (Mt. Iron, Minn./Mt. Iron-Buhl HS) adding 10 in the losing effort.

 

UMD was led by Katy Freeman's 11 points. Twelve different Bulldogs scored at least one basket in the victory.

 

St. Scholastica has the weekend off after their inter-division match-up with the Bulldogs, hitting the hardwood next with a home game against Finlandia University next Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 5:30 p.m.