Box Score Box Score
DULUTH, Minn. – Presentation College never trailed as it defeated the St. Scholastica women's basketball team 56-54 tonight in an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament Quarterfinal game at Reif Gym.
Presentation got off to a hot start making its first three shots and led 13-4 five minutes into the contest. The margin got up to 11 with nine minutes to go before the Saints went on a 7-0 run to make it 21-18 at the five-minute mark. Presentation went into the locker room with a 27-20 advantage.
The Saints shot 29-percent from the field in the half, while Presentation shot 35-percent. Presentation had a 23-17 edge on the glass, including eight offensive rebounds.
Presentation maintained a six to 11-point lead for most of the second half. The lead was still 11 with 1:22 to go. #Kirsten Haukom# (
Sr.-Marshall, Minn.) then hit a 3-pointer on the following possession to cut it to eight. After a Presentation turnover, #Alexa Leighton# (
Sr.-Superior, Wis.) drilled a three to cut it to five. Presentation turned it over again on the proceeding possession and Haukom hit a lay-up to cut it to three with 45 seconds left.
The Saints missed 3-point attempts on the next two possessions and Presentation hit enough free throws to go up five. Alex Leighton then connected on another 3-pointer to cut it to two with under a second to play, but it was too late as Presentation threw the ball down the court to end it and pull the upset 56-54.
CSS shot 44-percent in the second half to finish at 38-percent for the game. Presentation shot 37-percent from the floor for the game, but made eight more free throws than St. Scholastica. Presentation had a 26-16 scoring advantage in the paint.
Kirsten Haukom (Marshall, Minn./Marshall HS), in her final game as a Saint, poured in 19 points and had five assists. Haukom will finish with 1,086 points, 518 rebounds, 242 assists, and 187 steals in her four-year career. #Bri Allen# (
Fr.-West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley) pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds. Sara Gregersen led Presentation with 19 points. Presentation moves on to face Minnesota-Morris in the UMAC Tournament semifinals on Thursday.
The Saints end their season with a 12-14 record. The Saints will have to say goodbye to five seniors, but return solid figures in the post as they will look to make a run for the NCAA Tournament next season when the UMAC gets an automatic qualifier.
