Women's Basketball 1/16/06 -- St. Benedict 82, Augsburg 53

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (1/16/06) -- Anna Heikenen (Sr., Edina, Minn.) scored 14 points and pulled down five rebounds with three steals, one of four College of St. Benedict scorers in double figures, as the Blazers cruised to a 82-53 victory over host Augsburg College in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball game on Monday evening at Si Melby Hall.

St. Benedict scored the first seven points of the game and eventually led by as many as 33 points in the first half. The Blazers led 57-26 at halftime and led by as many as 36 points in the second half. The Auggies were unable to cut the lead under 24 points in the second half.

St. Benedict is now 11-2 overall, 8-1 in MIAC play, winning its eighth game in a row. Augsburg falls to 3-11 overall, 1-9 in MIAC play, dropping its 10th straight game.

The Blazers built the big lead behind a strong first-half shooting performance, hitting 54.3 percent (19-of-35) from the field, including 66.7 percent (8-of-12) from three-point range. St. Benedict ended up hitting 45.2 percent (28-of-62) from the field in the game and connected on nine 3-pointers.

Meanwhile, Augsburg hit just 34.5 percent (17-of-55) from the field in the first half and 30.9 percent (17-of-55) in the game. The Auggies also committed 28 turnovers, which St. Benedict converted into 28 points. Augsburg scored 12 points off of 15 St. Benedict turnovers.

Thirteen Blazers saw game action and 10 scored. Kari Schroeder (Fr., Richmond, Minn./Rocori HS) had 13 points, five rebounds and two steals, while Mackenzie O'Neil (So., Waseca, Minn.) had 12 points and Katie Kempe (Jr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) had 11 points and seven assists. Darby Noreen (Jr., Avon, Minn./Albany HS) hit 3-of-3 from three-point range and scored nine points.

Augsburg was led by Rosinta Stromquist (Sr., Brooklyn Park, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS), who had 15 points and eight rebounds. She went 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. Katie LaGrave (So., Okinawa, Japan/Kadena HS) had eight points, five rebounds and three assists, and Rachel Cherry (Sr., Rosemount, Minn.) scored eight points with four rebounds.

Kristina Lurken (So., Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo HS) had six points, five rebounds and four steals, and Brietta Schluender (Fr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) had six points with three rebounds.

St. Benedict returns to action on Wednesday (1/18) with a 7:30 p.m. home game against Gustavus. Augsburg returns to action on Saturday (1/21) at 1 p.m. with a game at St. Olaf.