MIAC Power Rankings For Sunday 2-1-26

Rylie Sternquist's 20 points yesterday helped SMU notch perhaps their biggest win yet in taking down Bethel at home in Winona and avenging an earlier loss to the Royals.   

 Ahh, now it's finally February and with the home stretch of the regular season now upon us, we have a bit more clarity on things but it's still messy with a lot of question marks on several teams.  So let me try untangling this disorganized jumble of teams to see where we're at right now:

1.  Concordia

2.  SMU

3.  (tie) Bethel & St. Scholastica

4.  GAC

5.  Hamline

6.  CSB

7.  St. Kate's

8.  Carleton

9.  Augsburg

10.  Macalester

11.  St. Olaf

The Cobbers once again have the top of the mountain all to themselves on this Sunday and they earned the spot by first staving off a determined effort from CSB at cavernous Memorial Auditorium this last Wednesday and then getting their first road win at GAC in 13 years yesterday - more than good enough to propel them into the top spot.  But Concordia can't afford to rest on its laurels as they have two big home games this week that could allow them to solidify their spot at the top - against Carleton on Wednesday night and then Hamline this coming Saturday........The other big mover on this day is SMU as they took care of business on the road against said Carleton team this last Wednesday night and then notched maybe their biggest win of this season yet when they stomped on Bethel at home yesterday.  On paper anyway, you would think that the Cardinals would have a decent chance to consolidate on their latest gains although they have a rematch with a St. Kate's team that toppled them about a month ago at home on Winona this Wednesday before a return trip to Northfield to take on St. Olaf this coming Saturday.

Although Bethel took care of business easily enough at home against Macalester this last Wednesday night, you kind of knew that yesterday's battle down in Winona might not go their way although I don't think many had the Royals getting run out of town by the halftime break against SMU yet that's exactly what happened.  And with yesterday's debacle, all those questions that had swirled around Bethel not so long ago are rearing their ugly head again.  The Royals SHOULD recover this next week with two home games and although the game Wednesday night against St. Olaf appears like a forgone conclusion, the game this coming Saturday against a rising St. Scholastica team could be an entirely different matter........And speaking of those Saints, what a week it was for this team which might very well be the best story this season in MIAC Women's Basketball as they came down to Minneapolis this last Wednesday night and got a double-digit win against Augsburg before yesterday's thrilling win at home against a very good CSB team.  But this coming week is where St. Scholastica will have its mettle tested with two more trips back down to the Twin Cities - first to Macalester on Wednesday night before the big showdown this coming Saturday against aforementioned Bethel team.

GAC got a big win at home this last Wednesday night against Hamline but couldn't complete the deal yesterday in the loss to Concordia.  But I can only penalize the Gusties so much and I think they'll have ample opportunities to make up for yesterday's setback and they'll have to get refocused as a dangerous and desperate CSB team comes to Lund Arena on Wednesday night before a trip up US Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's Mankato Sub mainline to the Twin Cities to take on Macalester this coming Saturday........One of the two biggest fallers on this day is Hamline and this last week was about as costly as they come as they fell short against said GAC team on Wednesday night before yesterday's shocking setback against St. Kate's.  For a team that was enjoying a 10-win streak joyride, the Pipers now suddenly find themselves in a must-win situation and although the crosstown trek to Augsburg on Wednesday night looks doable enough, the dreaded trip up US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline this coming Saturday to Moorhead to take on Concordia is another matter entirely.  

The other faller on this day is CSB and this last week was downright cruel to them as they lost a heartbreaker up in Moorhead against Concordia this last Wednesday night before coming up short yesterday on the frigid shores of Gitche Gumee against St. Scholastica.  And the home stretch might be tough for the Bennies if they're without senior Megan Morgan for the duration but in the meantime they have to get refocused as another very challenging road trip is in the offing as they go to GAC on Wednesday night before finally getting back into the comfy confines of Claire Lynch this coming Saturday to face Carleton........One of the worst things ANY team in this conference can do is take St. Kate's lightly as Hamline found out the hard way yesterday.  That win against the Pipers yesterday coupled with the win last Wednesday night at St. Olaf has the 'Cats on a three-game win streak.  While it probably won't be enough to get them close to playoff conversation, the Wildcats at least have a big shot of confidence going forward and they'll need it as they must venture down US Highway 61 and the CPKC River Sub mainline to Winona on Wednesday night to take on SMU before returning home to face Augsburg this coming Saturday.  

So there you have it for today.  Again, a bit more clarity on things but you and I both know that there's still a lot of moving pieces in place before this regular season wraps up.  As always, please feel free to fire away with thoughts.  

St. Kate's vs Hamline 1-31-26

Hattie Fox of St. Kate's was her usual steady self from the charity stripe against Hamline when her team needed it the most.

 Made an easy run over to the St Paul side of town on this sunny and not-quite-so cold Saturday afternoon to venerable Hutton Arena on the campus of Hamline University to take in a very important contest between visiting St. Kate's and host Hamline.  The Wildcats came into this contest with back-to-back wins under their belt for the first time since early in the season; the latest win coming down in Northfield on Wednesday night against St. Olaf.  The Pipers meanwhile had their ten-game win streak come to a crashing halt on Wednesday night down in St. Peter against GAC and they were anxious to get things back in gear going into the home stretch of the regular season.  This was also Senior Day at Hamline as well as the following players were recognized for their time with the Piper program:  Junior forward Marina LaFreniere (who is graduating early), senior combo guard/forward Sophie Stork, senior guard Camille Cummings, senior forward Aliyah Robran, senior guard Josie Wiebusch, junior forward Evelyn Wiltrout (who is graduating early) and senior guard Isabella Jensen.  

St. Kate's would get off to a solid start in this game as they would get out to a 4-0 lead thanks to some early heroics by sophomore guard Jordyn Peed.  The Eau Claire, WI native would manage to grab the opening tip and race in for a lay-up at the 9:53 mark of the opening period and three minutes later at the 6:53 mark, Peed would strike again by knocking down a short jumper from the right side to give the 'Cats the aforementioned advantage.  Hamline meanwhile struggled out of the gate with their shooting touch and it wasn't until the 6:36 mark that the Pipers were able to clear off the cobwebs forming on their basket as junior reserve guard Lauren Cooper drained a "3" from the left wing area.  Hamline would push ahead at 5-4 when sophomore reserve guard Josie Schmidt made a hard drive with a pretty spin move for a finish at the 5:40 mark and that lead would grow to 7-4 when Wiltrout was able to knock in an offensive rebound at the 5:02 mark.  The Pipers would maintain this three-point edge when Cooper connected on a lay-up with 4:31 left but St. Kate's would claw back into the lead.  Lanky sophomore forward Elle Covey would get a tough score in the paint with 4:18 left and with 3:02 left the Wildcats got the lead back at 10-9 when Peed snared an offensive rebound and got a short jumper in the lane to go down.  With 2:20 left, St. Kate's restored the early four-point cushion at 13-9 when sophomore reserve guard Raya Cassidy used a burst of speed to make a hard drive for a finish and the former Spring Lake Park standout cashed in on the "and one.  The Wildcats were able to maintain this four-point lead on a pair of free throws by sophomore reserve guard Kate Flicek after she was fouled with 1:10 left to make it a 15-11 game.  Hamline got back to within a single possession on one free throw by Schmidt after she was fouled with :49.1 left but the 'Cats stretched their lead to six at 18-12 when sophomore reserve guard Olivia Gannon buried a "3" from the left corner with :22 left so not only was Hamline unable to jump start its normally-potent offense but now they were dealing with an underdog opponent that suddenly had new life breathed into it.  

The Pipers offensive woes continued once the second period got underway as missed shots and turnovers continued to plague Hamline.  And their problems only became more magnified when St. Kate's increased its lead to nine at 21-12 when junior guard Hattie Fox banged home a "3" from the right wing area at the 7:24 mark.  The Pipers finally got something to go down when Cummings was able to snare an offensive rebound for a putback in transition at the 5:05 mark but Hamline's troubles continued to mount as the Wildcats got things going again on consecutive lay-ups by Covey - one with 4:44 left and another with 3:36 left - that now had St. Kate's up double-digits at 25-14 and Pipers Head Coach Joshua Hersch had little choice but to take a match to a timeout to try and get some things sorted out.  That stoppage in play did seem to help Hamline get refocused on the task at hand and they were able to close out an otherwise lackluster second period with a 6-0 push.  Cooper would start this push by connecting on a lay-up in transition with 2:38 left and would follow that up with 1:29 left left with a jumper in the lane that had the deficit down to seven at 25-18.  Stork would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with :31.4 left and junior reserve combo guard/forward Anna Rynkiewich would get one free throw to go down as well after getting fouled in a transition opportunity with :17.4 left that had the deficit down to fiver at 25-20 as both teams retreated to their respective locker room for the halftime break.  

The Wildcats would start out the third period on a good note as Peed would knock down a jumper from the left elbow area at the 9:39 mark that upped the lead to seven at 27-20 but Hamline was determined to get the tempo of this game turned in their favor and they went all-out with their full-court pressure defense that definitely had St. Kate's on its heels and allowed the Pipers to not only catch up but grab a small lead.  Schmidt would connect on a lay-up at the 7:20 mark and a tough score in the paint by Rynkiewich at the 6:51 mark suddenly had Hamline back to within a single possession down 27-24 and with the 'Cats now in a bit of a dry spell because of the pressure defense, St. Kate's Head Coach Don Mulhern sensed danger and called a thirty-second timeout to make some quick adjustments.  But the Wildcats were getting turned over much more frequently by this point and Hamline took full advantage during this stretch.  Cooper would grab an offensive rebound for a putback at the 6:08 mark and after another Wildcat turnover a bit later, LaFreniere would connect on a lay-up at the 5:41 mark that suddenly pushed Hamline out in front 28-27 and St. Kate's Mulhern instinctively took a full timeout at this point knowing his team had entered the proverbial danger zone.  Still, the Pipers were able to grow their lead to three at 30-27 when Cooper connected on a lay-up with 4:48 left and with the Wildcats still struggling with the full-court pressure defense, Mulhern felt compelled to use his third timeout with 3:35 left in hopes of turning the tide.  Finally with 1:05 left, St. Kate's got a bit of a reprieve when Fox was fouled and the Osceola, Wisconsin native got both free throw attempts to go down.  So in a period where seemingly so much had gone Hamline's way with their pressure defense that had turned the Wildcats over numerous times, they only had a measly one point lead at 30-29 to show for it.

And that one-point lead vaporized in the early going of the fourth period when Wildcat senior guard Kristen Oberle buried a cold-hearted "3" from the left wing area at the 9:14 mark that put St. Kate's back out in front at 32-30.  The Pipers would get the game leveled at 32 when LaFreniere knocked down a pair of free throws after getting fouled at the 8:57 mark but then St. Kate's would launch another push.  Junior reserve post Julia Harmon would muscle into the paint for one score at the 8:03 mark and then Fox would unleash her second trey of this contest with a bomb from the left corner area at the 7:30 mark that now had the Wildcats up 37-32.  But the frenetic and unpredictable flow of this game would continue as Hamline would answer.  Stork would bang home a "3" from the top of the key at the 7:17 mark and then the Pipers would snare a steal with that full-court pressure defense and Schmidt would get a lay-up out of it right at the 7:00 mark that had this contest deadlocked again at 37 a piece and St. Kate's Mulhern; a little leery of his team falling victim to Hamline's pressure defense, called a timeout to get his squad settled down.  That stoppage in play was exactly what the 'Cats needed as they not only caught their collective breaths but were now clearly focused on the stretch run where they would have the upper hand.  St. Kate's would regain the lead at 39-37 when Peed snared an offensive rebound for a putback at the 5:43 mark and two free throws by Fox after she was fouled with 4:38 left not only upped the lead to four a 41-37 but now the Wildcats were in the bonus as well.  One more free throw by Flicek after she was fouled with 4:27 left grew the lead to five at 42-37 and now the Piper's Hersch had to resort to taking a thirty-second timeout a short time later with 4:07 left to set up a comeback strategy.  Hamline would get back to within a single possession when Schmidt was able to get a lay-up after a steal in the backcourt with 3:59 left but then St. Kate's widened the gap again.  Peed would knock down a pair of freebies after getting fouled with 3:35 left and then Flicek would bang home a three-point bomb from the left top area with 2:56 left that suddenly made it an eight-point game at 47-39 that effectively put the Pipers behind the proverbial 8-ball.  Still, Hamline was able to find a response that at least got them in position to save themselves.  Schmidt would knock down a pair of free throws after getting foueld with 2:48 left that now had the Pipers in the bonus as well and then Cummings would come through with two quick scores - a lay-up with 2:22 left and then a three-point play the old-fashioned way as she snared a steal and raced the other way for a lay-up that drew a foul that allowed the former Centennial standout to cash in on the obligatory "and one" that suddenly had the deficit down to a scant point at 47-46.  But just when the door appeared open for Hamline to poke its nose out in front, the Pipers missed out on not one but TWO scoring opportunities in the next minute - a missed three-point bomb by Stork and a missed lay-up by Schmidt - that effectively killed their chances.  With :42.4 left, the Wildcats' Peed would be fouled and she calmly knocked down both charity stripe attempts that at least provided a bit more breathing room with a 49-46 advantage.  Hamline's subsequent possession would ultimately be foiled when St. Kate's Flicek came up with a big steal and Mulhern would use his last timeout with :24 left to set up strategy.  Knowing that the Pipers would now have to foul, the 'Cats got the ball to Fox and she would be fouled with :20.4 left and she was able to get both free throw attempts to go down that now stretched the lead to five at 51-46.  With the sands of time running out on Hamline, Hersch would take another timeout to see if a miracle could be dialed up.  And the Pipers would make one last desperate bid to stave away certain doom.  With :06.1, Cummings would bang home a "3" from the right top area that cut the deficit down to one but Hamline now had to foul immediately and, sure enough, it was St. Kate's Fox drawing it with just :04.4 left and she calmly got both attempts to go down to make it a 53-49 ballgame.  With all hopes all but extinguished, the Pipers' Cummings would launch a three-point attempt that missed its mark with :01.9 left.  Strangely enough, the officials would call a foul on the Wildcats' Flicek with :00.5 left.  Stork would get one free throw attempt to go down but all St. Kate's had to do now was just inbound the ball which they did to preserve a cherished 53-50 road victory.  

I congratulated the Wildcats' Mulhern afterward and I told him that I thought the key moment in this game for his team was weathering the storm in that third period when Hamline was coming with everything but the kitchen sink at them - and they were still able to get out of that mess and stay within a single possession.  He was quick to agree with that assessment but he added that they were able to do this without a real point guard on the team.  "We need a point guard" he said.  Through it all though, I think this St. Kate's team has had to adapt and I think they've done a pretty good job of making do with what they have.  Here's the other thing that I think needs to be pointed out.  Typically, coaches will do their darndest - under most circumstances anyway - to save the bulk of their timeouts for the home stretch when they'll most likely need them.  But in this particular case, Mulhern knew he needed to take those two third period timeouts when he did because he knew full and well his team could've collapsed under the weight of the full-court pressure defense that Hamline was utilizing at the time.  And the third timeout right before the midway point of the fourth period was key as well because it gave his team a chance to catch their breath and refocus and that went a long way in allowing them to get this big road win.  I have seen this guy coach for some time now and he's one of the best in the business and he showed it once again today.  

If you're Hamline, you probably have to be kicking yourself after this one because this was more than a winnable game for you.  I think - just strategy-wise anyway - you did what you set out to do which was create turnovers with your pressure defense.  And you did as the Wildcats turned the ball over 29 times in this one and the Pipers got 21 points off of those turnovers.  And Hamline had a whopping 32-18 advantage in points in the paint along with a decided edge in bench points at 33-14.  All good you say.  Well, here's the bad news:  Hamline shot 19-58 from FG range for 32.8% (not that St. Kate's was shooting at a torrid pace either going 16-44 for 46.4% but I digress) and then went for an ice-cold 3-24 from downtown for 12.5%.  Um, OUCH.  To add to their misery, the Pipers were not very good at all from the charity stripe going 9-16 for 56.3% and you don't have to be a basketball purist to know that that simply won't get the job done.  We know that the Pipers can be a very good three-point shooting team and we've seen it from them before but in this case, it was a case of launching up reckless three-point bombs after another when you really didn't need them and not having a back-up plan for when they weren't falling.  The bottom line here in this one is that Hamline simply wasn't very efficient on offense on this day and this latest setback effectively throws a monkey wrench into any long-term plans they may have had considering how the MIAC race is shaping up and I think it goes without saying that their NPI ranking is on a respirator at best.  

And all of you who read my blog know that I rarely - if ever - comment on the officiating.  But sadly on this day, the crew for this game was just uncommonly awful.  Look, I don't ever expect officiating to be "perfect"; we know that that's simply not going to happen.  But some of the calls that were made on this day and - even worse - some of the missed ones that should have been made, only exacerbated things.  Let's be better, okay? 

St. Kate's needed production from their two best scorers on this day and they got it.  Peed continues to shine as a sophomore and her 16 points not only paced the Wildcats on this day but led all scorers as well.  Fox was her usual steady outstanding self and recorded a "double-double" on this day with her 14 points and 10 rebounds - and, perhaps just as important - a perfect 8-8 from the charity stripe.  Hamline did have a reasonably balanced attack in the setback today as Schmidt's 13 points led the way while Cooper tallied 11 points and Cummings finished with 10.  

MIAC Power Rankings for Sunday 1-25-26

Thanks to senior sharp-shooter Camille Cummings, Hamline has run its win streak to ten straight which is more than good enough to get the Pipers in a tie for first place in my Power Rankings. 

 Well, here we are on Championship Sunday - GO RAMS GO!!!  Meanwhile, if you thought last week's quagmire of teams at the top was a mess, all I can say to you is "Hold my beer" while I make an attempt to sort out the chaos and unpredictability that is MIAC Women's Basketball at the moment.

1.  (tie) Bethel, Hamline & Concordia

2.  (tie) SMU, CSB, St. Scholastica & GAC

3.  Carleton

4.  St. Kate's

5.  Augsburg

6.  St. Olaf

7.  Macalester

Whew.......Okay, so as I'm sure you've seen the latest MIAC standings and the results from this last week, my Power Rankings are pretty much reflective of that.  So allow me to explain as to why each team is where they're currently at right now.

First, Bethel definitely responded after the debacle up along the frigid shores of Gitche Gumee the previous Saturday and got a big road win this last Wednesday night in thumping CSB before stopping the Concordia Express cold in its tracks yesterday in the comfy confines of Robertson Center yesterday so that alone has them at least in a tie for the first place spot in my Power Rankings today.  The Royals get Macalester at home this coming Wednesday evening which appears doable enough but a much, much tougher task awaits them this coming Saturday as they must venture down US Highway 61 and the CPKC River Sub mainline to Winona to face SMU........In all my years of covering the MIAC Women's hoops scene, I've never ever had Hamline in the top spot before - even in a tie with other teams yet here are the Pipers in this spot because, well, they keep winning and they easily handled Augsburg at home this last Wednesday night before stomping on St. Olaf down in Northfield yesterday.  But this 10-game joyride that Hamline has been enjoying could come to a crashing halt this coming Wednesday night as they must venture down US Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's Mankato Sub mainline down to St. Peter to face GAC before coming back to the safe confines of venerable Hutton Arena to host St. Kate's this coming Saturday........Speaking of trips, back-to-back trips on US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline proved to be too much for Concordia as though they were able to dismiss Macalester on Wednesday night at Leonard Center, they ran out of gas yesterday in the big showdown at Robertson Center against Bethel.  But the Cobbers had better get their wounds licked quickly as they face two big tests this week - at home vs CSB on Wednesday night before another long roadie to St. Peter to face GAC on Saturday.

SMU definitely looked like it had any after-effects of its shocking setback at St. Kate's the previous Saturday licked as they blew out St. Olaf on Wednesday night but the Cardinals shocking loss to CSB yesterday at home in Winona now has a lot of question marks swirling around this team and its outlook; not to mention the fact that their NPI ranking took a significant hit yesterday as well.  This week certainly doesn't get any easier for the Cardinals either as they go to Northfield on Wednesday night to take on a very underrated and tricky Carleton team before a big showdown at home with Bethel this coming Saturday........CSB took it on the chin this last Wednesday at home against Bethel as most expected but they came out on fire yesterday and upended said SMU team down in Winona yesterday that helped the Bennies not only avoid a complete disaster but keep them right in the thick of things in the overall MIAC race and Playoff picture.  Without question, this is going to be another incredibly challenging week for the Bennies as CSB has to run up to Moorhead to face Concordia on Wednesday evening and then run up to Duluth to face St. Scholastica this coming Saturday........Speaking of the Saints, not many expected their trip to GAC this last Wednesday would go well and it didn't but things worked out for them anyway as they rebuffed a tricky Carleton team at home in Duluth yesterday.  When you look at St. Scholastica's remaining regular season schedule, you almost have to think that this coming week might be their best chance to solidify their MIAC Playoff hopes as they come down to the Cities on Wednesday evening to face Augsburg before hosting CSB this coming Saturday........The Gusties did their job this last week in taking down St. Scholastica at home this last Wednesday night before a somewhat routine dismantling of Augsburg yesterday in Minneapolis.  But this coming week might be the toughest of all for GAC - even with two home games as they host a hot Hamline team on Wednesday night before Concordia comes calling on Saturday.  

Carleton came away with a split this last week in getting a big win at St. Kate's this last Wednesday night but the Knights were unable to handle St. Scholastica at home in West Gym yesterday.  And it likely could be a repeat this coming week as the Knights will host an angry SMU team on Wednesday night before Augsburg comes down to West Gym this coming Saturday........St. Kate's desperately needed a sweep this last week to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive but the loss at home to Carleton yesterday was likely the dagger in the heart for any hopes the Wildcats had despite the win over Macalester yesterday when you consider all the teams that are ahead of them.  And the 'Cats will be fortunate to at least come away with a split this coming week with trips to St. Olaf on Wednesday evening and to Hamline this coming Saturday in the offing.

So that's how things look from my view right now.  I have to think that, at some point anyway, some of this stuff will start untangling itself but we'll just have to see.  As always, feel free to fire away with thoughts.   

Concordia vs Bethel 1-24-26

What a day it was for Bethel's Emily Erickson as her 23 points helped the Royals get a huge win at home against Concordia.

 Made the relatively quick run over to Robertson Center on the campus of Bethel University on this sunny but bitterly cold January day to take in this heavyweight bout between two teams with MIAC title hopes between visiting Concordia and host Bethel.  After losing a tough roadie at SMU two weekends ago, the Cobbers had since reeled off three straight wins - including Wednesday night's visit at Macalester.  After last Saturday's shocking loss to St. Scholastica up in Duluth, the Royals got things turned around on Wednesday night with a big win up at St. Joe against CSB.  With the top half of the MIAC in a jumbled up mess with a smattering of teams fighting for first and second place, every game from here on out would be crucial to not only regular season and MIAC Playoff hopes but for NCAA Tournament hopes as well and you knew these two teams could make this game a real slugfest.

The Cobbers would jump out to a 4-0 lead out of the gates in the opening period as strong sophomore forward Maya Metcalf would use a burst of speed to drive in for a lay-up at the 9:48 mark and a short time later at the 8:59 mark, senior guard Molly Musland was able to grab an offensive rebound and knock down a short jumper from the left side.  Bethel would waste little time in getting this game leveled as senior combo guard/forward Rosalie Penke would connect on a lay-up at the 8:40 mark and then junior forward Emily Erickson would maneuver into the paint for a score at the 7:52 mark.  Concordia would take a one-point lead when junior forward Genevieve Gruba got one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 7:38 mark but then the Royals would assume a 6-5 advantage when junior forward Cally Peterson muscled into the paint for a score at the 6:29 mark.  The Cobbers would take the lead right back at 7-6 when Metcalf knocked down a pair of freebies after getting fouled at the 5:24 mark but Bethel would get this game deadlocked again at seven a piece when sophomore reserve guard Alaina Bonacquista got one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 5:17 mark.  The Royals would push ahead at 9-7 when Erickson was able to grab an offensive rebound for a putback with 4:43 left but that was wiped away a short time later by Concordia as senior point guard Taylor Safranski would drain a "3" from the left corner area with 4:20 left that had the Cobbers up 10-9.  Then Bethel would unleash a 6-0 push as Erickson would get into the paint for a score with 3:51 left that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" got the Royals back out in front 12-10.  That lead would increase to 15-10 when senior point guard Colette Duininck buried a "3" from the left top area with 1:44 left and the partisan Bethel faithful inside Robertson Center had the joint rocking.  But that sequence failed to deter Concordia as Metcalf would bang home a "3" from the left top area with :47.5 left and with just :05.7 left, speedy freshman reserve guard Kaitlyn Rohloff would get by defenders and connect on a lay-up that also drew a foul and the former Hancock standout would cash in on the "and one" that closed out this unpredictable back-and-forth battle with the Cobbers holding a slim 16-15 advantage.  

The late first period push that Concordia had spilled over into the early stages of the second period as Metcalf connected on a jumper along the left baseline at the 9:36 mark and when Gruba connected on a lay-up at the 8:46 mark, the Cobbers had suddenly forged a five-point lead at 20-15.  Unfortunately for Concordia, that didn't last long as the Royals not only unleashed a 6-0 spurt, they also got back an important piece that had been missing from their lineup since the first of the year - fifth-year senior sensation forward Elly Schmitz - and the former Hermantown standout quickly got her team out of a troublesome spot as she would first snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 8:20 mark and a short time later at the 7:50 mark she would make a nifty spin move and connect on a tough lay-up that got the deficit down to a scant point at 20-19.  Bethel would get themselves back into the lead at 21-20 when Erickson knocked down a pair of free throws after getting fouled at the 7:17 mark.  The Cobbers would manage to take the lead back at the 6:57 mark when Gruba got a pair of free throws to go down but Concordia was unable to hold onto this 22-21 advantage as the Royals went on a 5-0 push.  Erickson would get into the paint for a score at the 6:38 mark that also drew a foul and she would cash-in on the "and one" and then Bonacquista would snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 5:25 mark that now had Bethel up 26-22.  Now it was the Cobbers turn to be put in a bit of a rough patch but they calmly responded thanks to Metcalf.  The West Fargo, ND native would first connect on a short, one-handed shot off the glass at the 5:09 mark and a short time later she would connect on a jumper from the left wing area just inside the arc with 4:22 left that had this game leveled again at 26 a piece.  Again the Royals responded as senior combo guard/forward Ali Born drained a "3" from the left top area with 4:00 left to make it a 29-26 ballgame and a score in the paint by Erickson with 2:43 left maintained the three-point edge at 31-28.  Bethel would manage to get more breathing room thanks to Erickson as she was able to knock down a short, one-handed jumper in the lane with :53.8 left to make it 33-28 and although Concordia was able to cut one point off of the deficit on one free throw by lanky sophomore reserve forward Kaia Gack after she was fouled with :30.2 left, the Royals seemed to have the momentum going into the locker room at the half with a 33-29 advantage.  

The Cobbers went right back to work at the beginning of the third period as two free throws by Metcalf after she was fouled at the 9:17 mark and a lay-up by Gruba at the 8:26 mark quickly got this game dead-even again at 33 a piece.  Bethel would re-take the lead at 35-33 when Penke got into the paint for a score at the 7:58 mark but a short time later Concordia would forge ahead 36-35 when Musland buried a "3" from the left corner area at the 7:45 mark and Royals Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer; not at all liking how the opponent was getting off to a hot start, called a thirty-second timeout to re-assess the situation.  Still, the Cobbers upped their lead to four at 39-35 when Safranski; the former Fargo Davies standout, drained a "3" from the left top area at the 7:09 mark.  Bethel would cut the deficit to one when junior reserve guard Macey Littlefield banged home a "3" from the left corner area at the 6:52 mark but Concordia would mange to rebuild the four-point advantage as Metcalf would make a hard drive for a lay-up at the 6:36 mark and one free throw by senior guard Taya Jeffrey after she was fouled at the 6:06 mark gave the Cobbers a 42-38 advantage.  But this lead would quickly evaporate as the Royals finished off this third period with a key 9-1 run.  Peterson would start this run by getting one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 5:21 mark and with 3:42 left, Littlefield would snare an offensive rebound of her own miss for a putback that had the deficit down to one at 42-41.  A short time later with 3:07 left, Bethel would retake the lead once again as Peterson would make a hard drive for a finish and with 2:20 left, Penke would unleash a three-point bomb from the right top area that now had the Royals up by four at 46-42.  Then, with just :00.1 left in this third period, sophomore reserve guard Kenzie Lundeen would get fouled and the former Redwood Falls standout would get one free throw out of the deal to go down to make it a 47-43 ballgame and the momentum that had been with Concordia a short time ago was now clearly with Bethel. 

The Cobbers were able to pull back to within a single possession early in the fourth period down 47-44 when Jeffrey got one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 8:15 mark but then Concordia proceeded to go into a funk offensively where they couldn't even buy a bucket which opened the door for the Royals to increase their advantage.  Erickson would slither into the paint for a score at the 7:13 mark that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" pushed Bethel's lead to six at 50-44.  Then Schmitz would strike again at the 5:56 mark for a drive and lay-up that stretched the Royals lead to eight at 52-44.  The Cobbers finally ended their extended dry stretch at the 5:06 mark when Metcalf buried a "3" from the left top area that cut the deficit down to five at 52-47.  Concordia Head Coach Kim Wagers would then call a timeout to set up strategy for the home stretch.  The Royals would get their lead to 53-47 when Lundeen got one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 4:38 left but the Cobbers would make one last bid to get this game evened up.  Gruba would use a burst of speed to connect on a lay-up with 3:29 left that cut the deficit back down to four at 53-49 and a short time later, Gruba would get sent to the charity stripe after getting fouled with 2:36 left but the Enderlin, ND native could only get the back-end attempt to cooperate but Concordia was at least back to within a single possession down 53-50.  Another opportunity was presented to the Cobbers with 1:52 left when Jeffrey got to the free throw line after getting fouled but Jeffrey; the former Albert Lea standout, could only cash in on the back-end attempt that cut the deficit to two at 53-51.  Concordia would get a reprieve when Bethel came up empty on their next possession and with 1:12 left in regulation, Metcalf got a reasonably good look behind the arc from the left top area but her attempt bounced off the front end and the Royals grabbed the rebound; snuffing out another opportunity.  And Bethel would make its opponent pay for that miss as Littlefield would race in for a lay-up with :46.7 left making it a two-possession game at 55-51.  The Cobbers' Wagers would call another timeout but Concordia's fate would be sealed for good when Gruba was unable to get either free throw attempt to go down after getting fouled with :19.7 left .  The Royals' Erickson would sink a pair of insurance free throws after getting fouled with :15.7 left and would repeat that feat after getting fouled with :08.7 left to make it a 59-51 ballgame.  Concordia would get one last hurrah when Musland connected on a lay-up with :01.8 left but it would be too little, too late and Bethel snagged a huge home conquest with a 59-53 victory.

I mentioned to Concordia's Wagers afterward about all the times I've heard different coaches say "Every possession matters" after a tough game.  And that free throws matters as well.  Wagers was quick to agree on that assessment and that certainly shows up in the box score on this one.  You'll see that rebounds were pretty even with the Cobbers holding a slight 34-33 advantage.  But some of those red flag items I pointed out for Concordia from their game on Wednesday night showed up today like a sore thumb.  While I think one could stomach the fact that Concordia did have a few more turnovers than Bethel did at 13-9, what hurts is that Bethel got 14 points off of those Cobber turnovers compared to just six points for the Cobbers off of Royals turnovers.  But that's just scratching the surface.  You peel back the onion further and here is where things start to get ugly for Concordia.  The Cobbers got torn up in the paint again as Bethel had a 32-16 edge in points in the paint.  And Bethel had a decided edge in bench points at 18-4.  The Royals did have an advantage in those all-important "second chance" points at nine to five but what really hurt the Cobbers on this day was the fact that they shot 14-25 from the charity stripe for a straight 56%.  Let me say that again - 14-25 for 56%.  Again, for a team that has always had free throw shooting as one of its hallmark strengths, this had better get addressed - and soon.  The last thing you want as a team is to have this aspect bring you down - especially in an important conference game - much less in an NCAA Tournament setting.  And going 17-48 from FG range for 35.4% certainly didn't help either but here I think you simply have to tip your hat to Bethel and the way they play defense.  They just have a way of making you very uncomfortable on the offensive end and they make you pay dearly for any mistake.  And it's not like the Royals shot the lights out here either - they didn't.  But their defense more than made up for any offensive inefficiencies on this day.  

And even though it was very good to see Bethel's All-American Schmitz back in action - even in a reserve role on this day, it was the Royals' Erickson who easily stole the show on this day with her 23 points that led all scorers.  Concordia's Metcalf had a stellar day as well with her "double-double" of  21 points and 14 rebounds.  Gruba had a solid day as well as she finished with 10 points.  

Concordia vs Macalester 1-21-26

Concordia's size and depth helped them prevail on the road against a gamey Macalester team.

 Ran over to the St Paul side of town on this late Wednesday afternoon to Leonard Center on the campus of Macalester College to take in an important contest between visiting Concordia and host Macalester.  After getting tripped up by SMU a week and a half ago down in Winona, the Cobbers recovered nicely with a thrilling victory at home against GAC last Wednesday night and a romp over Augsburg three days later.  That, coupled with other games in the MIAC over the last week propelled Concordia into sole possession of first place in the MIAC.  It's been a much different story for the Scots meanwhile as they were coming into this contest in the throes of a nine-game losing streak and no conference victories but that certainly doesn't take away from the fact that this Macalester team always plays hard and has the ability to create some unique match-up problems with opponents and that was on full display on this night.  

The Cobbers would race out to a 7-2 advantage in the first minutes of the opening period as they were hoping to get some quick separation.  Senior point guard Taylor Safranski would start things off by burying a "3" from the left top area at the 9:42 mark and a score in the paint a bit later by strong sophomore forward Maya Metcalf at the 8:56 mark had Concordia up 5-0.  At the 7:56 mark, senior guard Taya Jeffrey would connect on a short jumper from the left side to bookmark this early push by the Cobbers.  Macalester, however, would crawl back to within a single possession when sophomore combo guard Cady Davis connected on a lay-up at the 6:57 mark but then the Scots found themselves in an even bigger hole as back-to-back three-point bombs by Concordia widened the gap even more.  Jeffrey would bury a bomb from the right corner at the 6:21 mark and a short time later, senior guard Molly Musland would bang home a trey from the left corner at the 5:49 mark to push the Cobber lead to 13-4 and Macalester first-year Head Coach AD Donovan felt compelled to take a match to a thirty-second timeout in order to make some quick adjustments.  To their credit, the Scots were able to narrow the gap a bit as one free throw by speedy junior guard Sydnee Smith after she was fouled with 3:29 left and a pretty one-handed floater in the lane by freshman reserve guard Faith Accardo with 2:49 left got the deficit down to six at 13-7.  With 2:15 left, sophomore reserve combo guard/forward Samantha Smith would connect on a lay-up that kept Macalester in that six-point range down 15-9.  With 1:14 left, Accardo would strike again by connecting on a short jumper in the lane that had the deficit down to four at 15-11.  Concordia would widen its gap again when Jeffrey connected on a jumper from the left top area with :52 left and it looked as if that six-point margin would hold after Macalester junior point guard Mary Daley was unable to get a pair of free throw attempts to cooperate after she was fouled with just :06.7 left but the Scots got a got a big break when Davis alertly snared the offensive rebound on the back-end miss and got a putback out of it with just :03.9 left that got the Scots back to within striking distance again by just four at 17-13 and was indicative of some of the frustrations that Concordia would have to endure on this night.  

Macalester would, in fact, draw to within a single possession when Sydnee Smith got one free throw to go down at the 9:21 mark of the second period before the Cobbers finally found their groove again and went on a 14-0 tear.  Metcalf would get this big run going with back-to-back three-point bombs from the right wing - one at the 8:58 mark and the other at the 8:08 mark - that restored the earlier nine-point advantage at 23-14 but Concordia was far from finished.  Safranski would snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 7:16 mark and then slender junior guard Genevieve Gruba got into the act as she would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 6:50 mark and would follow that up a bit later with a lay-up at the 6:11 mark that now had the Cobbers doubling-up its opponent by a 28-14 score and the Scots Donovan wasted little time in calling another thirty-second timeout in hopes of stopping the massive bleeding.  Still, Concordia was able to bookend this latest run when sophomore reserve guard Tatum Findley buried a "3" from the top of the key at the 5:20 mark to make it 31-14 before the Scots could start making dents in this cushion.  Daley would use a burst of speed to connect on a lay-up at the 5:06 mark and then Sydnee Smith would connect on a lay-up with 4:34 left that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" got the deficit down to twelve at 31-19.  A short time later, Sydnee Smith would strike again by connecting on a tough lay-up with 4:12 left that got the deficit down to ten at 31-21 and when junior guard Megan Matthews made a hard drive for a finish with 3:18 left that capped this unexpected 9-0 run by Macalester, the Cobbers saw a one-time seventeen point lead cut to just eight points in a short two-minute timespan.  Concordia would pad its cushion back to ten at 33-23 when lanky sophomore reserve forward Kaia Gack knocked down a short jumper off the glass with 3:03 left but then the Scots behind Daley's heroics made further inroads.  Daley; the Cumberland Rhode Island native, would use her quickness and speed to connect on back-to-back lay-ups - one with 2:07 left and again with 1:41 left - that suddenly had the deficit down to just six at 33-27 and Concordia Head Coach Kim Wagers; not liking at all at what was transpiring, called for a halt to the action to get her troops reorganized.  The Cobbers were initially able to right the ship somewhat as the steady and cool Jeffrey knocked down a jumper from the free throw line area with 1:10 left but Macalester was quick to answer as Sydnee Smith used her speed and quickness for a hard drive and finish with :42.1 left that got the deficit back down to six again at 35-29.  Concordia would try again as Metcalf connected on one of her trademark tough scores in the paint with :31.2 left but the Scots would get one more boost before this wild and weird first half was over as diminutive junior reserve guard Kendall Bernbaum drained a "3" from the left top area with just :03.2 left that not only cut the deficit down to five at 37-32 but gave Macalester a ton of hope that just maybe they could pull off one of the biggest upsets in the MIAC Women's Basketball season as well.  

The Cobbers went to work right away once the third period got underway to re-establish the safety net they enjoyed earlier although it wouldn't necessarily go smooth for them initially.  Metcalf would connect on a short turnaround jumper off the glass at the 9:29 mark but Macalester would come right back and get the deficit cut to five again as Matthews would connect on a lay-up a short time later at the 9:11 mark.  Concordia's Safranski would strike again from behind the arc as she drained a bomb from the right wing area at the 8:56 mark to make it a 42-34 ballgame but the Scots would get things tightened up again a short time later at the 8:28 mark when do-it-all Sydnee Smith used a burst of speed to connect on a lay-up that got the deficit down to six at 42-36.  Finally the Cobbers were able to launch a 7-0 push that gave them some long-awaited breathing room.  Metcalf would muscle into the paint for a score at the 8:17 mark and a bit later at the 7:27 mark, Jeffrey would bang home her second trey of this contest with a bomb from the left top area to make it a 47-36 game.  After a foiled Scot possession, Metcalf would get into the paint for another score at the 6:52 mark that now had Concordia up 49-36 and Macalester's Donovan had no choice but to take a thirty-second timeout to assess the damage done.  The Scots were able to recover somewhat as sophomore guard Emma Karlin would connect on a lay-up at the 6:25 mark and a bit later at the 5:12 mark, Karlin would unleash a three-point bomb from the right wing area that got the deficit cut to ten at 51-41.  The Cobbers would get their lead back to thirteen at 54-41 when junior reserve guard Alexa Snesrud connected on a lay-up with 4:48 left that also drew a foul that allowed the former Cloquet standout to cash in on the obligatory "and one".  With 2:35 left, Snesrud would strike again on a hard drive and finish that maintained the thirteen-point lead at 56-43 and a short time after that, freshman reserve guard Kaitlyn Rohloff would bury a "3" from the left top area with 2:05 left that increased Concordia's lead to fourteen at 59-45.  Macalester was able to get this deficit cut down a bit when Davis knocked down a short jumper in the lane with 1:38 left but down 59-47, the Scots were going to have to reach deep to get this one close again.

Concordia certainly seemed to be back on track once the fourth period got underway as they were able to slowly increase the lead in the early minutes.  Gruba would knock down a pair of free throws after getting fouled at the 9:41 mark to make it 61-47 and a short turnaround jumper by Metcalf at the 9:05 mark maintained the fourteen point edge at 63-49.  Jeffrey would soon thereafter connect on a lay-up at the 8:24 mark and two free throws by Metcalf after she was fouled at the 7:28 mark not only completed an 8-2 push by the Cobbers but also seemingly had them in great position to finally put a daisy on this game as well.  But this gamey, never-say-die Macalester team kept frustrating its opponent by making inroads on this deficit and never letting them feel completely "safe" either.  Daley would connect on a lay-up at the 6:40 mark and a "3" by Sydnee Smith from the right corner at the 6:14 mark got the deficit down to thirteen at 67-54.  At the 5:11 mark, Sydnee Smith was able to maneuver into the paint off of an inbounds pass for a score that closed the gap further at 67-56 and now Concordia was walking a bit of a tightrope here trying to preserve a double-digit lead and trying to maintain some aggressiveness on the offensive end as well with a ton of time left.  Metcalf was able to knock down a pair of free throws after getting fouled with 4:45 left that made it a 69-56 ballgame but the Scots would soon throw another scare into their opponent as Sydnee Smith buried a "3" from the right wing area with 3:23 left that had the deficit down to ten at 69-59 and had the home crowd inside Leonard Center going wild.  Concordia then had to dig in and attempt to restore order as Gack would slither into the paint for one score with 2:56 left and two free throws by Jeffrey after she was fouled with 2:26 left not only got the lead back to fourteen at 73-59 but now the Cobbers were in the bonus as well which would all but ensure triumph.  Sophomore reserve guard Peyton Briedenbach would pad the Concordia cushion even more after she got one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 1:59 left to make it 74-59.  Still, Macalester would attempt to throw one last scare into its opponent as Karlin would connect on a lay-up with 1:33 left and with 1:05 left, Accardo would drain a "3" from the right corner area that cut the deficit to twelve at 76-64.  Finally, the Cobbers were able to shut the door for good as pairs of free throws by reserve sophomore guard Brooklyn Christianson after she was fouled with :47.8 and with :35 left sealed the deal as Concordia got out of Dodge with a somewhat scary 80-64 victory.

I was able to meet up with both Concordia Assistant Coach Terry Porter and Wagers afterward.  I asked Porter about some of the unique match-up problems that Macalester can bring to the table.  "We had watched them and we knew that's what they were going to try and do" Porter said.  Porter also added that "It doesn't matter who you're playing in the MIAC.  You've got to be ready every night."  Wagers admitted afterward that despite winning by double digits, there were some frustrating moments on this night - undoubtedly when Macalester erased a double-digit lead in the second period.  And with a big game coming up at Bethel on Saturday, the Cobbers could ill-afford to look past this game either.  Regarding the upcoming game at Bethel on Saturday, Wagers admitted that they've got to do some things better.  "They turned us over a lot" she said referring to the 23 turnovers the Cobbers suffered in that game with Bethel in Moorhead back on November 25th. 

When you look at the box score of this game, you'll indeed see that there's some red flags for Concordia in this particular contest on this night.  While rebounds were relatively even, you'll see that Macalester had a whopping 46-34 advantage in points in the paint.  Why you ask?  Well, because Macalester did a good job in getting favorable one-on-one situations with their guards that allowed them to penetrate and finish in the paint and the Cobbers struggled with this all night long.  Considering the fact that SMU followed much of this same strategy back on Saturday 1-10 down in Winona and enjoyed a sizable 40-28 edge in points in the paint, this is a worrisome trend for the Cobbers who simply have to shore things up on the defensive end.  Another surprise was that both the Scots and the Cobbers had 13 "second chance" points and when you have a decided size advantage that Concordia has, this could be another cause for concern.  One more item that caught my eye on the box score is that the Cobbers shot only 15-22 from the charity stripe for 68.2% and for a team like Concordia that has free throw shooting as one of its hallmark strengths, that's another sore spot.  Inevitably, the Cobbers size and depth helped save the day as Concordia had a sizable 24-10 edge in bench points plus the fact that the Scots shot only 5-21 from downtown for 23.8% which simply wasn't going to be enough.   

What can you say about Concordia's Metcalf who is simply unstoppable at times on the offensive end and her two three-point bombs on this night shows she can score from anywhere on the floor and it's no surprise that her 22 points on this night not only paced the Cobbers but led all scorers as well and she just missed out on a "double-double" with her nine rebounds.  But I don't think enough gets said about the Cobbers' Jeffrey who has finally had an opportunity to blossom in the Cobber backcourt.  To me, she's the calming influence on this team and has the ability to come up with a clutch play or score when her team needs it and it's not surprising that she had a career-high of 16 points on this night.  And it was also a great night for Macalester's Sydnee Smith who just missed out on a "double-double" herself with 19 points and nine rebounds while both Daley and Davis finished with 10 points a piece.           

MIAC Power Rankings For Sunday 1-18-26

Evie Schmitz and her three-point bombs helped St. Scholastica slay Bethel on Saturday and throw the MIAC Women's Basketball scene into utter chaos.

Here we are on NFL Divisional Playoff and a huge game later on today for my Los Angeles Rams against Chicago - GO RAMS GO!!!  Meanwhile, in the MIAC Women's Basketball world, if you thought things were a mess the last two weekends, that was a tiptoe through the tulips compared to the utter chaos we have right now.  I have gone through this from different angles and perspectives over the last 18 hours or so and finally came up with how I should try and shake things out for today (I think).  So here we go:

1.  Concordia

2.  (tie) Hamline, CSB & St. Scholastica

3.  (tie) SMU, Bethel

4.  GAC

5.  St. Kate's

6.  (tie) Augsburg & Carleton

7.  St. Olaf

8.  Macalester

Concordia has the top spot all to themselves on this Sunday as they got through this last week unscathed but they had to survive a lulu of a game this last Wednesday night at home against GAC where the Cobbers rallied from a 15-point deficit to get the narrow victory before the romp over Augsburg yesterday.  This coming week, however, Concordia has to take its show on the road with consecutive trips down US Highway 10 and the BNSF Staples Sub mainline to the Cities - first against Macalester on Wednesday night which certainly seems more than doable on paper but a much more daunting task awaits on Saturday when the Cobbers visit Robertson Center to take on a Bethel team that is going to be looking to make amends for a disastrous day yesterday (more on that in a bit here soon).  

But beyond this is where things get ultra messy and complicated.

First, you have to give props to the Hamline Pipers who are on an eight-game win streak with their latest victims being Carleton and St. Olaf.  And, on paper anyway, this streak should continue as the Pipers host Augsburg on Wednesday night before a trip down to Northfield to take on the same St. Olaf team that they downed at Hutton Arena yesterday........CSB avoided - at least for now - the swoon they went into last year about this time and notched two important wins this last week - at home vs St. Kate's on Wednesday night and then down in Northfield against Carleton yesterday.  But now comes perhaps the biggest week of all for the Bennies as they'll host Bethel on Wednesday night before a long trip down to Winona to go up against SMU on Saturday........Most expected St. Scholastica to come away with a split this last week (including yours truly) but instead the Saints defied the expectations and after downing Macalester this last Wednesday night, they sent shockwaves throughout Region 9 by coming from behind to knock off Bethel yesterday.  Can St. Scholastica defy expectations again this coming week?  We'll find out as the Saints go on the road this time around - first by going down to St. Peter on Wednesday night to face GAC and then down to Northfield this coming Saturday to take on Carleton.

It seems hard to believe that two of the tri-leaders from last weekend could fall to where they are right now but they only have themselves to blame for where they're currently at.  SMU, for example, got a lopsided win at home against Augsburg on Wednesday night before the debacle at Butler Center yesterday against St. Kate's.  Now, the Cardinals should recover this week with two home games on tap - first against St. Olaf on Wednesday night before CSB comes to town this coming Saturday and after yesterday, SMU can ill-afford to take ANY game lightly now........Slumping with the Cardinals on this day is Bethel and while the Royals got the easy win at St. Olaf this last Wednesday night, they choked away a 12-point fourth quarter lead on the road in falling to St. Scholastica.  If there was ever a team that had such high hopes and expectations that suddenly finds itself reeling, it's clearly Bethel and while I'm not suggesting that it's time for the Royals to hit the panic button, they at least have to know where that thing's at as they've got a heckuva lot of work to do if they want to get back into title consideration.  And this coming week is going to be as challenging as ever as Bethel has to go up to St. Joe on Wednesday night to take on a very dangerous CSB team before hosting first place Concordia this coming Saturday.  

Oh what a week it COULD have been for the Gusties as they saw a 15-point lead on Concordia up in Moorhead vanish in the fourth period as GAC fell in a heartbreaker.  True, the Gusties recovered yesterday by methodically thumping Macalester back home in St. Peter but with everything that's going on in the MIAC right now, the Gusties HAVE to know and understand that each game from here on out is going to be absolutely critical for them in more ways than one.  And this coming Wednesday night GAC has a huge home game against St. Scholastica before venturing up US Highway 169 and the Union Pacific's Mankato Sub mainline to the Cities to take on Augsburg this coming Saturday........St. Kate's lost a tough one up at CSB this last Wednesday night but they pulled off the other shocker yesterday by getting a gigantic upset victory at home against a high-octane SMU team.  Obviously the Wildcats have an uphill battle from a MIAC Playoff perspective but on paper anyway, the 'Cats have a decent chance to consolidate on their latest gains this coming week with two more home games - against Carleton on Wednesday night and then against Macalester this coming Saturday.  

In all my years of covering MIAC Women's Basketball, I've never seen such a convoluted and messy situation standings-wise ever.  There's a lot of moving pieces at the moment and it's anyone's guess as to how this will all shake out in the end.  But it's a helluva lot of fun to watch.  As always, please feel free to fire away with thoughts.  

SMU vs St. Kate's 1-17-26

SMU came to town looking to hang onto first place and bolster their NPI ranking as well but Jordyn Peed and her St. Kate's teammates had vastly different ideas on this day. 

 Made a fast trip over to the St Paul side of town on this seasonably cold January day over to Butler Center on the campus of St. Catherine University for this important clash between visiting SMU and host St. Kate's.  The Cardinals recovered from the heartbreaking 70-69 loss at Bethel by notching two big wins at home - one over tri-leader Concordia last Saturday and a blowout win against Augsburg on Wednesday night.  The Wildcats meanwhile lost two tough games in the last week - one at home to GAC last Saturday and then on the road to CSB on Wednesday night.  I arrived at Butler Center early which gave me a chance to talk to St. Kate's Assistant Coach Ben Fleming as well as SMU Head Coach Courtney Shelton beforehand as well.  

The Cardinals were able to draw first blood right from the get-go as sophomore forward Rylie Sternquist connected on a jumper from the right elbow area at the 9:46 mark of the opening period but St. Kate's would recover as slender sophomore forward Elle Covey drained a "3" from the right top area at the 9:00 mark.  But it wouldn't take long for SMU to counter as sophomore guard Brianna Nusbaum's lay-up at the 8:45 mark helped spark a 7-0 Cardinal push.  Senior point guard Lindsey Lettner would bang home a "3" from the right wing area at the 7:59 mark and then strong junior forward Kali Olson would snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 7:22 mark that put SMU up 9-3 and Wildcats Head Coach Don Mulhern felt compelled to take a match to a thirty-second timeout to try and make some quick adjustments.  That short stoppage in play appeared to pay dividends as St. Kate's was at least able to stay within striking distance.  Senior guard Kristen Oberle would connect on a lay-up in transition at the 6:38 mark cut the deficit down to four at 9-5 and two free throws by Covey after she was fouled at the 5:19 mark kept the 'Cats in that four-point range down 11-7.  One more free throw by junior guard Hattie Fox with 3:28 left got St. Kate's back to within a single possession down 11-8 before the Cardinals finally got things going again on offense.  Freshman forward Ayla Olson would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 2:20 left and then speedy freshman reserve guard Hadley Sammons would connect on a lay-up with 1:32 left that had SMU up 14-8.  Kali Olson would get one free throw to go down as well after getting fouled with :19.4 left that got the Cardinal lead to 15-8.  Although St. Kate's would get one last score on a jumper from the right elbow by sophomore guard Jordyn Peed with :04.5 left, SMU still seemed to have control of things with a 15-10 lead.  Little did anyone realize at this time that the Wildcats' Peed was just getting started on this day.  

Indeed, Peed would strike again with a lay-up at the 9:35 mark of the second period that got St. Kate's back to within a single possession down 15-12 before the Cardinals could establish some more breathing room.  Lettner would unleash her second trey of this ballgame - this one from the left corner at the 9:14 mark - that gave SMU an 18-12 advantage and one free throw by Kali Olson after she was fouled at the 7:32 mark still gave the Cardinals ample breathing room at a 19-14 lead.  But those pesky Wildcats kept hanging around and St. Kate's subsequent possession, Fox would drain a "3" from the right wing area at the 7:20 mark that got the Wildcats back to within a single possession down 19-17.  SMU would try again as Lettner would use a burst of speed to connect on a lay-up at the 7:00 mark that made it a 21-17 ballgame but then St. Kate's would get another lift from Peed; the Eau Claire, WI native, as she buried a cold-blooded "3" from the right wing area at the 6:42 mark that got the deficit down to a scant point at 21-20.  That got the attention from the Cardinals' Shelton who called for a thirty-second timeout in hopes of patching up the holes.  SMU would manage to get some more breathing room after the short stoppage in play as Sternquist would connect on a lay-up at the 6:30 mark that also drew a foul and the ensuing "and one" by the former Big Lake standout gave the Cardinals a 24-20 lead.  Unfortunately for the Cardinal faithful, this is exactly where things started to go to hell in a handbasket for SMU as a rejuvenated Wildcat team not only ripped off a 13-0 run but also had SMU reeling with its pressure defense as well.  Oberle started this run with a three-point bomb from the right corner with 4:19 left that had the deficit down to one again at 24-23 and with 3:37 left, Peed would make a hard drive into the lane and would get a one-handed shot to go down that pushed St. Kate's back into the lead at 25-24.  With 2:22 left, sophomore reserve guard Raya Cassidy got into the act as she banged home a "3" from the right top area and a short time later with 1:52 left, junior forward Lily Peper would connect on a lay-up in transition that pushed to Wildcat lead to 30-24 and SMU's Shelton had no choice at this point but to take a match to a full timeout in hopes of stopping the bleeding that was going on.  Still, St. Kate's would cap this run - fittingly - on a three-point bomb by Peed from the left corner area with :35.7 left before the Cardinals got a bit of relief when Sammons drained a "3" of her own from the right corner area with just :05.1 left but down 33-27 at the half and stretched to the limit by the frenetic effort of this St. Kate's team, the Cardinals had to have known that they were going to have to dig down deep as both teams headed for their respective locker rooms for the halftime break.  

SMU would attempt to get things tightened up once the third period got underway as Kali Olson would snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 9:49 mark that cut the deficit down to four at 33-29 and a lay-up by Sternquist at the 8:25 mark kept the Cardinals in that four-point range down 35-31.  But once St. Kate's started up with their full-court pressure defense, the errors started to mount for the Cardinals and that allowed the 'Cats to seize the opportunity.  Fox would bury a "3" from the right wing area at the 7:56 mark to make it 38-31 and Peper would follow suit with a bomb of her own from the left corner area at the 5:24 mark that made it 41-33 and SMU was basically back at Square One again.  To their credit, the Cardinals would again get the deficit cut to four as Ayla Olson would snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 5:04 mark and then Sternquist would get a tough score in the paint off of an inbounds pass with 4:25 left that had SMU back in the thick of things down 41-37.  But just when the Cardinals thought they could feel better about the entire situation, consecutive scores by St. Kate's had them in a hole again.  Sophomore reserve guard Kate Flicek grabbed an offensive rebound for a putback with 3:51 left and then Peper would drain a "3" from the right top area with 2:37 left that increased the Wildcat safety net to nine at 46-37.  But a resourceful SMU team was able to close out this third period on a 7-2 push that at least got them close again.  Nusbaum; quiet for much of the first half, would knock down a short jumper in the lane with 2:18 left and then Lettner would unleash her third trey on this day with a bomb from the right corner with 1:09 left that had the deficit down to six at 48-42.  With just :11.2 left, Ayla Olson would get a short jumper in the lane to go down that had the Cardinals back in that four-point range again down 48-44.  Now the question that the SMU faithful were asking themselves was if the Cardinals had enough in the tank to get them over the top again.  

That question looked to be answered early on in the fourth period as back-to-back scores by SMU finally got this game leveled again.  Nusbaum would connect on a lay-up at the 9:48 mark and then Sternquist would muscle into the paint for a score at the 9:11 mark that had this game tied at 48.  The Wildcats could have panicked right then and there but instead they hunkered down and unleashed a 7-1 push that had their opponent on their heels again.  Fox would slither through traffic into the paint for a score at the 8:58 mark and one free throw by Flicek after she was fouled at the 8:11 mark had St. Kate's up 51-49.  At the 7:48 mark, Covey would knock down a tough jumper along the right baseline and with the Wildcats employing more pressure defense, Peed would snare a steal in the backcourt and race in for an easy lay-up at the 7:38 mark that had St. Kate's up by six at 55-49.  The Cardinals would get the deficit down to four when Sternquist was able to get a score in the paint off of an inbounds pass at the 7:09 mark but two quick scores by the 'Cats widened the gap again.  Peed would connect on a lay-up at the 6:50 mark and then Flicek would grab an offensive rebound of her own miss and get a putback at the 6:14 mark that now had St. Kate's up by eight at 59-51 and SMU reeling again.  To their credit, the Cardinals battled back to get things tightened up again.  Nusbaum would snare a steal and race the other way for a lay-up at the 5:46 mark and after SMU's Shelton called a timeout, Kali Olson would knock down a pair of free throws after getting fouled with 4:54 left that not only got the deficit down to four at 59-55 but now the Cardinals were in the bonus as well.  A bit later with 3:23 left, Kali Olson muscled into the paint for a score that brought SMU back to within a single possession down 59-57 and with a ton of time left and being in the bonus as well, the Cardinals definitely seemed to have a path available to them to prevail.  But this St. Kate's team refused to bend at the critical juncture.  With 3:04 left, Peed got an open look from the right top area and drained a casually cruel three-point bomb that got the Wildcats lead to five at 62-57.  St. Kate's Mulhern would call a timeout to set up some defensive strategy but SMU still had one last push in them.  Kali Olson would connect on a lay-up with 2:36 left that got the Cardinals back to within a single possession down 62-59 and with 2:03 left, sophomore reserve combo guard/forward Julia Koch connected on a lay-up that cut the deficit down to a tantalizing point at 62-61 that had the door open for SMU.  The Wildcats' Mulhern would then take a timeout to set up strategy for the final home push and this St. Kate's team responded.  Peed would connect on a short, turnaround jumper with 1:45 left and after a foiled Cardinal possession, Peper would connect on a lay-up with :50 left in regulation that made it a two-possession game at 66-61 and now SMU's Shelton had to take a timeout in hopes of drawing up something to dig her squad out of this five-point hole.  Alas, the Cardinals would come up empty as both Ayla Olson and Lettner missed three-point attempts.  St. Kate's Mulhern would take a timeout and the only thing that SMU had left was to use up their handful of fouls to give in order to preserve as much time on the clock as possible.  With :17.8 left, the Wildcats' Fox would get sent to the charity stripe after getting fouled and the Osceola, WI native got both attempts to go down that helped seal the deal as St. Kate's pulled off a massive upset win with a 68-61 victory.  

I was able to catch up with SMU's Shelton afterward who was glumly reviewing the final box score on this one.  I brought up how it appeared to me that the pressure defense that St. Kate's was employing on this day seemed to take her SMU squad out of any real rhythm offensively.  "We knew from looking at them that that's what they were going to do and we had two days to prepare and we still couldn't handle it" she said dejectedly.  She added that her young team needs to learn from this - and quickly and that they have to be ready to go with each outing.  Undoubtedly, it had to be a long, dismal ride back down US Highway 61 and the CPKC River Sub mainline to Winona for this young team but I think this team is more than good enough to recover from this latest setback and get the ship righted again.

St. Kate's Mulhern was obviously thrilled about this conquest but more importantly he was really tickled for his team as they were looking for a big boost and it's moments and games like these that can provide that needed boost.  Mulhern had a lot of good things to say about this SMU team and how far they've come in such a relatively short span of time.  But he was really happy for his squad and couldn't help but boast about the big game that Peed had on this day on both ends of the floor.  Mulhern and his staff decided to use Peed to defend SMU's Nusbaum - a tough task for sure - and Peed rose to the occasion and then some.  In fact, when I got to talk with Peed afterward, she was still beaming from this big win on this day.  "I was almost in tears in that last timeout we took" she said.  Simply put, she was just outstanding on this day.  

The final box score on this game is deceiving because if you hadn't actually watched the game itself, you could almost conclude that SMU might've pulled this one out.  Consider:  While St. Kate's had a slight edge on the boards at 32-29, turnovers were about even (SMU with 15 and St. Kate's with 14) as were those all-important "second chance" points (St. Kate's with 12 and SMU with 11).  Points off of turnovers were close too with SMU having a 14-13 edge as were bench points with St. Kate's having an 8-7 edge there.  In fact, the only lopsided category was points in the paint where SMU had a decided edge at 34-24 but let's remember too that the Cardinals really didn't get their inside game going until the second half.  You have to peel the onion back further in this one and when you do, you'll see that while SMU shot decently enough from FG range (25-55 for 45.5%, it was a much different story from downtown as the Cardinals shot only 4-16 for a straight 25% and for a team that does have some great three-point shooters (Nusbaum, Lettner, Sammons and Koch), this had to contribute to their downfall on this day.  Another likely sore spot for Shelton and her staff was that SMU struggled at the charity stripe on this day as well going 7-13 for 53.8% and in a game like this, that's simply not going to cut it.  Contrast that with St. Kate's going 8-10 for a straight 80%.  

And what a day it was indeed for St. Kate's Peed who not only led the way for the Wildcats but led all scorers as well with her 19 points and again, her defense was just lights out on this day.  Perhaps just as important, Peed got a lot of help on this day as well as Fox was her usual, steady self as she tallied 15 points and Peper; who never gets enough credit, IMHO, was right behind with her 14 points.  SMU did have a balanced scoring attack on this day as Sternquist led the way with her 13 points while Kali Olson was right behind with 12 points and Lettner finished with 11 points.  Ayla Olson, in fact, just missed out on a "double-double" with her nine points and nine rebounds.