SMU vs Hamline 2-18-26

Hamline brought the energy - as well as their pressure defense and trapping - that helped the Pipers bag a massive upset of SMU in Hutton Arena and throw the seeding for the upcoming MIAC Playoffs into disarray as well.

 Unlike last Saturday's trip over to the St Paul side of town to venerable Hutton Arena on the campus of Hamline University, the trip over on this snowy Wednesday evening was a royal PITA as I-694 was essentially a 10 mph bumper-to-bumper affair and Snelling Avenue wasn't much better.  Fortunately, I left my place early in anticipation of a slow trip and got myself settled into Hutton Arena for this huge late regular season clash between visiting SMU and host Hamline.  After the upset loss to CSB back in late January, the Cardinals had reeled off six straight wins including a big home win over St. Scholastica this last Saturday and were not only keeping a firm grip on second place in the MIAC standings but were very much in discussion for the upcoming NCAA Tournament with a decent NPI ranking.  The Pipers meanwhile bounced back nicely after the loss at Concordia back on February 7 as they pulled off a huge upset by knocking off Bethel at Robertson Center the previous Wednesday evening before last Saturday's big win at home over CSB that helped Hamline at least clinch a spot in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs.  So this game would have huge implications not only on the seeding for the MIAC Playoffs but also for things beyond that as well.

SMU would get off to a solid start in this one as freshman forward Ayla Olson knocked down a jumper from the left elbow area at the 9:04 mark of the opening period and she would follow that up with a pair of free throws after getting fouled in a transition opportunity at the 8:39 mark to put the Cardinals up 4-0.  The Pipers would cut the deficit to one when junior guard Lauren Cooper banged home a "3" from the left corner area at the 7:50 mark but SMU was able to get its lead to 6-3 on a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Brianna Nusbaum after she was fouled at the 7:37 mark.  But a short time later, Hamline would get this game leveled at six a piece when junior forward Marina LaFreniere connected on a lay-up at the 7:21 mark that also drew a foul and allowed the former Blaine standout to cash in on the "and one".  And the Pipers would stay even at eight a piece when senior reserve combo guard/forward Josie Wiebusch muscled into the paint for a score at the 6:42 mark.  It was here where the Cardinals were able to launch a push.  Strong junior forward Kali Olson would first connect on a lay-up at the 6:27 mark that also drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" had SMU up 11-8.  Less than a minute later, younger sister Ayla Olson would make a hard drive for a finish at the 5:49 mark and when Nusbaum; the former Spring Lake Park standout, buried one of her trademark southpaw three-point bombs from the left corner area at the 5:06 mark, the Cardinals had their opponent doubled up with a 16-8 advantage and Hamline Head Coach Josh Hersch definitely did not like what was unfolding and he instinctively took a match to a thirty-second timeout to remedy the situation.  That short stoppage in play seemed to have the desired effect as the Pipers got things tightened up.  Sophomore reserve guard Josie Schmidt would come through with back-to-back scores - a drive along the right baseline and pretty finish with 4:02 left and then a short, turnaround jumper with 3:27 left - that narrowed the deficit to four at 16-12 and when senior combo guard/forward Sophie Stork muscled into the paint for a score with 3:00 left, Hamline was back to within a single possession down 16-14.  The Cardinals would up their lead to 18-14 when Kali Olson got a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled with 2:10 left but then the Pipers closed out this first period with a 7-0 push thanks to their up-tempo style and the pressure and trapping defense.  LaFreniere would maneuver into the paint for one score with 1:40 left that cut the deficit back down to two again at 18-16 and when Cooper buried a "3" from the left corner area with 1:04 left, Hamline suddenly had grabbed its first lead of the evening at 19-18.  And the Pipers would extend that lead to 21-18 when Schmidt connected on a short jumper in the lane with just :04.5 left so for SMU Head Coach Courtney Shelton and her staff who likely wanted to land a knockout punch early on in this contest, that hope had now gone out the window and now the Cardinals found themselves having to adjust to the reality that they were going to be drawn into a fierce battle from a very good opponent.   

And the Cardinals prospects certainly did not brighten in any way once the second period was underway.  Hamline senior guard Camille Cummings would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled at the 9:11 mark and when LaFreniere connected on a lay-up at the 8:24 mark, the Pipers would suddenly enjoying a six-point advantage at 24-18.  At the 7:40 mark, SMU's Nusbaum collected her second foul of the evening and Shelton was quick to yank her star shooter back to the pine for preservation purposes.  Despite this, the Cardinals were able to find solid footing again as Kali Olson was able to snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 7:08 mark that also drew a foul in the process and her obligatory "and one" got the Cardinals back to within a single possession down 24-21.  A short time later at the 6:25 mark, Kali Olson would strike again with a routine score in the paint that had the deficit down to one at 24-23 and two free throws by strong sophomore forward Rylie Sternquist after she was fouled at the 5:46 mark pushed SMU back out in front again at 25-24.  One free throw by Ayla Olson after she was fouled with 4:33 left capped this welcome 8-0 run that made it a 26-24 ballgame but that lead was short-lived as Hamline's Cummings would drain one of her trademark three-point bombs from the left corner area with 4:04 left that had the Pipers back in front at 27-26.  Now it was the Cardinals turn to respond as one free throw by Kali Olson after she was fouled with 3:13 left leveled the contest again at 27 and now SMU was in the bonus as well.  And when Ayla Olson drained a "3" from the left corner area with 2:45 left, SMU had appeared to weather the worst of the storm with a 30-27 advantage.  Sternquist would give the Cardinals a 32-30 lead when she connected on a lay-up with 3:13 left and the former Big Lake standout would repeat the feat with 1:45 left that gave SMU a 34-32 lead.  With 1:20 left, the Cardinals got another boost when speedy freshman reserve guard Hadley Sammons snared a steal and raced the other way for a lay-up that got the lead to 36-32.  In the final minute, SMU was able to build on its lead from the charity stripe.  Ayla Olson would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with :46.9 left as would Kali Olson after she was fouled with :38.8 left.  With just :02 left on the clock, Sternquist would follow suit after she was fouled by cashing in on one charity stripe attempt as the Cardinals now seemed to have momentum clearly on their side with a 39-33 advantage as both teams headed for their respective locker rooms for the halftime break.  

And two quick scores by SMU early on in the third period seemed to solidify the thought that this young team was getting into position to finally apply the proverbial knockout punch that they failed to deliver in the first period.  Sternquist would connect on a jumper from the left elbow area at the 9:26 mark.  Then Ayla Olson snared an offensive rebound of her own miss for putback at the 8:52 mark that made it a 43-33 game and at the 7:34 mark, Ayla Olson would snare another offensive rebound for a putback that maintained the ten-point edge at 45-35.  The Pipers would get the deficit cut to six when junior reserve forward Evelyn Wiltrout connected on a lay-up at the 6:51 mark and two free throws by Stork after she was fouled at the 6:11 mark but the Cardinals responded with consecutive scores that rebuilt the double-digit cushion.  Nusbaum would knock down a pair of free throws after she was fouled with 4:51 left and a short jumper in the lane by Kali Olson with 3:48 left seemed to restore order with SMU up 49-39.  Hamline would try and chip away again as LaFreniere connected on a lay-up with 3:17 left but again the Cardinals would calmly respond.  Kali Olson would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled with 2:43 left and when Sternquist banged home a "3" from the right corner area with 2:07 left, SMU was once again enjoying a ten-point cushion up 53-43.  But it was here were the first subtle shift of this contest came as the Pipers ended this third period with a 7-2 push.  Cooper would start this push with back-to-back scores - a drive into the lane for a finish with 1:49 left and then a lay-up with :44.6 left - that had the deficit down to six at 53-47.  SMU's Kali Olson would snare an offensive rebound of her own miss for a putback with :27 left that got the lead to eight at 55-47 but when Hamline sophomore reserve guard Emma Lamppa buried a cold-hearted "3" from the left top area with just :00.3 left on the clock, the Pipers not only now saw the deficit cut to a much more manageable five points at 55-50 but the Cardinals now seemed a bit shell-shocked as well as that ten-point cushion they had only a short time ago had not only been cut in half but cut in half in what seemed like a heartbeat.  

Proving that this late third period push was no fluke, a quick 5-0 push by Hamline to start the fourth quarter is where this contest seemed to turn in their favor.  Wiltrout would connect on a lay-up at the 9:04 mark and when Stork banged home a "3" from the right top area at the 8:43 mark to tie the game at 55, venerable Hutton Arena was rocking and the Cardinals' Shelton wasted little time in taking a match to a timeout to get her squad calmed down.  But the Pipers were now employing their full-court pressure defense and trapping that was now beginning to take its toll on this young SMU team.  Lamppa would connect on a lay-up at the 7:58 mark to tie the contest again at 57-all and then at the 6:44 mark, Hamline would assume the lead at 59-57 when Schmidt connected on a lay-up.  The Cardinals would get this contest knotted again at the 6:26 mark when Kali Olson got a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled and younger sis Ayla Olson would do the same after she was fouled at the 5:31 mark that kept things even-steven at 61.  SMU in fact would get its nose poked out in front one more time at 63-61 when Ayla Olson snared a steal and raced the other way for a lay-up with 4:22 left but it was here where the Pipers really started making life miserable for its opponent with that pressure defense and trapping not to mention a key 10-0 run as well.  Cummings would unleash a cold-blooded "3" from the right corner area with 4:11 left that put Hamline in front for good at 64-63 and would follow that up a bit later with two free throws after getting fouled with 3:55 left that made it 66-63.  A short time later with 3:36 left, Stork would bury a cold-hearted "3" from the left top area that suddenly made it 69-63 and making things even more dire for the Cardinals, Kali Olson would pick up her fourth foul with 2:35 left but by this point, SMU's Shelton had little choice but to roll the dice.  With 2:17 left, the Pipers' Cooper buried a jumper from the top of the key area just inside the arc that now made it a 71-63 game and while this wasn't exactly checkmate for the Cardinals just yet, it seemed pretty damn close to that.  To their credit, SMU got the deficit whittled down to four as Kali Olson muscled into the paint for a score with 1:58 left and with 1:32 left, Ayla Olson got a pair of free throws to go down after getting fouled in a transition opportunity after a steal that still made things a doable proposition down 71-67.  But Hamline would hold firm and after a thirty-second timeout called by the Pipers' Hersch to set up strategy, Wiebusch would connect on an important lay-up with 1:11 left to make it a six-point game at 73-67.  The Cardinals would again get the lead cut down to four at 73-69 when Kali Olson knocked down a pair of free throws after getting fouled with :46 left but there was no panic from Hamline.  With :27.6 left, Lamppa would get one free throw to go down after getting fouled that not only made it a 74-69 game but now the Pipers were in the bonus as well.  SMU's Shelton would then take a timeout in hopes of drawing up a miracle and with :15.7 left, the Cardinals did seem to get something of a miracle when senior point guard Lindsey Lettner had to heave up a prayer of a three-point bomb attempt from the right wing area with the shot clock winding down that found its mark and now down just a single possession at 74-72, there was still a sliver of hope left for the SMU contingent.  But that last wisp of hope would be quickly extinguished as Hamline's Lamppa would get fouled with :14.4 left and she would make good on both charity stripe attempts to make it a 76-72 ballgame.  The Cardinals' Shelton would take another timeout hoping there was still one more miracle in the well but when a Lettner three-point shot attempt missed its mark with :04.2 left, that was indeed checkmate as the Pipers' Stork would be fouled with :00.8 left and she would get one free throw out of it as Hamline pulled off a massive upset and sent MIAC Women's Basketball into chaos once again with a wild 77-72 victory.  

When I was finally able to catch up with a disappointed Shelton of SMU afterward, she could only shake her head in utter disappointment in reflecting on how this one got away from her team.  She inevitably had to point to her young team's inexperience in these types of situations but strictly in the big picture, this latest setback is, well, a major setback.  There's no question that Hamline's pressure defense and trapping took its toll on this young Cardinals team and she couldn't help but lament that her backcourt simply was unable to handle things when they had to bear the full brunt of the Pipers charge at them.  And now SMU has to quickly refocus as they have another huge outing coming up Saturday in St. Peter against GAC.  "We had to find a way to bounce back after the loss to 'Kate's', we had to find a way to bounce back after the loss to St. Ben's, and now we're going to have to find a way to bounce back after this one" she said.  And considering that both the Cardinals and the Gusties, who now have their respective NCAA Tournament chances hanging on a ledge as of this writing, you can bet that both teams will bring everything - including the kitchen sink - come Saturday at Lund Arena.  

The final box score on this one certainly doesn't paint a pretty picture at all for SMU but you have to pull back the layers on this one to really be able to get your arms around as to what went down and how it went down.  First things first though.......You'll see where the Cardinals did indeed own a big advantage on the boards by a 30-18 count and they also enjoyed a sizable advantage in those all-important "second chance" points at 17-5.  And SMU wasn't bad from the charity stripe at all on this night going 28-34 for 82.4% yet it could have been better (more on that in a moment).  But where you see things go to hell in a handbasket for the Cardinals is when you see that they coughed up the rock 22 times on this night and the fact that Hamline got 15 points off of those Cardinal boo-boos.  And as good as the Olson duo was on this night for SMU, the Cardinals still got outscored in the paint by a 36-28 count.  But here's where you have to start peeling back the layers on all this.  While SMU as a whole shot 20-44 from FG range for 45.5% which isn't "bad", you have to consider about how they shot at particular times.  In the fourth period for example, the Cardinals shot only 3-11 from FG range for 27.27%.  Ouch.  And things weren't much better from behind the arc in that fourth period alone for SMU where that heave-ho from Lettner was the only bomb that fell for the Cardinals.  But again when you start pulling back the layers on all this and see that other than two free throws from Nusbaum in the third period and the aforementioned three-point bomb from Lettner, SMU got no production whatsoever from its backcourt and had to rely solely on the Olson duo and Sternquist and that alone is playing Russian Roulette right there.  And speaking of Nusbaum being limited to just two charity stripe shots in the second half alone is astounding when you consider how good she really is and it shows you why Hamline's defense is top in the MIAC - all credit to them on that.  But I want to point out one other key sequence for SMU that I pondered a lot after this game - and that was coming down the stretch before the halftime break in the final minute that saw the Olson duo along with Sternquist with trips to the charity stripe where the Cardinals had been in the bonus - and each of them came away with one free throw a piece instead of two.  Some might be quick to say that I'm splitting hairs here and I certainly am not trying to lay any undue criticism on any one player, I'm just simply pointing out that had pairs of free throws been made by each, you're now looking at a nine-point lead at 42-33 going into the locker room and in a close game like this one was, those were three crucial points that SMU never got to see.  But again, one simply has to tip their cap to the Pipers on this night as they were simply too good when it counted.  When they come at you with that pressure defense and the trapping that they employ, it's akin to trying to escape from Alcatraz and as you can imagine for an opponent, the odds aren't looking good for you.  It just seems to energize them even more when they start getting points - especially three-point bombs - out of turnovers and this is why when you look at this team and what they've done over the last few weeks, you now have to look at this Hamline team as a legitimate title contender.

Balanced scoring was another key on this night for the Pipers and it was Cooper's 12 points leading the way but she did have plenty of help as both Stork and Cummings tallied 11 points on this night and Schmidt shined on this night as well as she was right behind with her 10 points.  But it was SMU's Olson duo that led all scorers on this night as both Kali and Ayla both poured in an amazing 25 points a piece and Kali had a "double double" with her 13 rebounds as well.  Sternquist would finish with 10 points on this night for the Cardinals.