Box Score Box Score

DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Scholastica women's basketball team used a strong second half to defeat Northwestern College 69-51 this afternoon in Reif Gym.

The loss drops the Saints to 10-13 overall and to 6-6 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). The Eagles improve to 13-9 overall and to 8-4 in the league. The Saints snap a five-game losing streak to Northwestern.

It was Senior Day at Reif Gym and today's game was particularly special for one senior, #Kirsten Haukom# (Sr.-Marshall, Minn.). Haukom pulled down seven rebounds to give her 501 for her career. With that she becomes the first CSS women's basketball player to score 1,000 points, grab 500 rebounds, and have 200 assists in a career.

Northwestern led 15-6 with 14 minutes to go in the first half. Five straight points by #Erin Morstad# (So.-Fergus Falls, Minn.) cut the margin to four. The Eagles got the lead back up to eight, but the Saints went on a 10-0 run to take their first lead of the game on a #Kelly Cinquegrani# (Jr.-Buffalo, Minn.) lay-up. CSS led by five with 1:27 to go before halftime, but UMAC-leading scorer Katie DeWitt scored the final five points of the half to tie the game at 29-29.

The Saints shot 38-percent in the half, while the Eagles shot 46-percent. The CSS bench outscored the Northwestern bench 11-0.

The teams exchanged baskets at the start of the second half. With Northwestern up by one, the Saints went on an 8-0 run to take 42-35 lead. #Bri Allen# (Fr.-West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley) had seven of the eight points during that stretch.

The Eagles got the CSS lead down to three with 10 minutes to go, but Saints answered with a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 55-43 with 5:34 remaining. The Saints used another 8-0 run late in the game to win going away 69-51.

The Saints shot 52-percent in the second half to finish at 44-percent for the game. Northwestern shot just 30-percent in the second half to finish at 37-percent overall. The Saints were 13-for-14 from the free throw line.

Bri Allen (West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) and Erin Morstad (Fergus Falls, Minn./Fergus Falls HS) had 15 points each off the bench to pace CSS. The 15 points by Morstad was a career-high. Kirsten Haukom (Marshall, Minn./Marshall HS) added 14 points and #Katie Christensen# (Sr.-Elk River, Minn.) netted 12 points. Kelly Cinquegrani (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo HS) had a team-high nine rebounds. Katie DeWitt had 27 points to lead the Eagles.

The Saints will hit the road for their final two games of the regular season next weekend. The Saints will start out with Bethany Lutheran on Friday night. The tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.