Box Score Box Score
HANCOCK, Mich. – The St. Scholastica women's basketball team was defeated in overtime this afternoon 72-69 by Finlandia University (Mich.) at Paavo Nurmi Center.
The loss drops the Saints to a 2-7 record overall, while the Lions win their first game of the season and are now 1-9. CSS is 5-5 all-time against Finlandia and is just 1-3 in Hancock, Mich.
The Saints took an 8-2 lead early with #Kelly Cinquegrani# (So.-Buffalo, Minn.) scoring four of the eight points. The Lions would tie the contest 9-9 four minutes in, but the Saints then went on an 11-0 run to take a 20-9 lead with 11 minutes left in the first half. Later in the half, the Lions went on an 8-0 run to cut the CSS advantage to three with three minutes to go. The Lions hit a jumper at the end of the first half to tie it up at 31-31 at the break.
The Saints shot 38-percent in the first half, but forced 14 Finlandia turnovers that led to 16 points. The Lions shot 44-percent from the field in the half.
The Lions took their first lead of the game with the first bucket in the second half. Finlandia had a lead of six with 14:31 left in the game. From there, the game would be tied eight times with the lead changing hands nine times. The Saints went up by four after a Cinquegrani jumper with 2:40 left. The Lions scored the next four points to tie it back up with a minute to go. #Erin Morstad# (Fr.-Fergus Falls, Minn.) then hit a pair of free throws to put CSS up 63-61 with 54 seconds left. The Lions then hit a jumper with 19 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
In overtime, both teams traded the lead and the score would be tied 69-69 with a minute to play. The Lions took the lead with a jumper with 25 seconds on the clock. The Lions then added a free throw and the Saints had a chance to tie it up at the end, but the ball would not fall as the Lions went on to win 72-69.
St. Scholastica shot 37-percent for the game, but was 13-for-17 from the free throw line. The Saints out-rebounded the Lions 42-36. Finlandia shot 42-percent for the game and were 9-for-9 from the foul line.
Kelly Cinquegrani (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS) had a season-high 15 points to pace the Saints. #Alexa Leighton# (Jr.-Superior, Wis.) added a season-high 11 points and #Katie Christensen# (Jr.-Elk River, Minn.) had 10 points. #Kirsten Haukom# (Jr.-Marshall, Minn.) had 10 rebounds and nine points. Ally Tincknell had a game-high 22 points for Finlandia.
The Saints have off until Tuesday, December 30th when they will host the University of Wisconsin-River Falls at Reif Gym. The action begins at 5 p.m.
