DULUTH, Minn. — In a tightly contested Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup Saturday, the St. Scholastica women's basketball team used a decisive third quarter and strong contributions down the stretch to earn a 67–63 victory over College of Saint Benedict at Reif Gymnasium.

The Saints (14–5, 9–3 MIAC) rallied after a close first half and outscored the Bennies 26–16 in the third quarter, taking momentum into the final period. Their defensive intensity and ability to finish in the paint helped St. Scholastica withstand a late push from CSB.

Kloey Lind (Pine City, MN/Pine City HS) led the Saints with a stellar performance, scoring 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting and adding 12 rebounds while playing an efficient and physical game inside. Ava Haus (St. Michael, MN/St. Michael-Albertville High School) added 14 points and seven rebounds, while Evie Schmitz (Burnsville, MN/St. Louis Park) chipped in 12 points, knocking down key shots throughout the contest. Ava Riegel (Rogers, MN/Totino Grace High School) also reached double figures with 11 points, providing timely offense in the second half.

St. Scholastica shot 34.9 percent from the field and made 21 of 31 free throws, a factor in closing out the tight contest. Inside the paint, the Saints consistently challenged the Bennies and controlled several crucial possessions down the stretch.

Saint Benedict (12–7, 7–5 MIAC) received strong scoring efforts from Kira Young (17 points) and Drew Buslee (15 points), but turnovers and missed opportunities from deep prevented the Bennies from overtaking the Saints in the final minutes.

The win puts the Saints in a tie for second place in the MIAC standings, with a two game lead on the Bennies. Up next, St. Scholastica travels to Macalester on Wednesday, February 4 to take on the Scots.