Women's Basketball 1/7/09 -- St. Benedict 67, Augsburg 42

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (1/7/09) -- Augsburg College dropped a 67-42 Minnesota Intercollegiate Conference women's basketball game to the conference-leading College St. Benedict on Wednesday night at Claire Lynch Hall.

For the second consecutive game, Augsburg (2-8 overall, 0-7 MIAC) was led by Lexi Thompson (FY, St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS), who scored a career-high 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field. Thompson also chipped in three rebounds and an assist. Serenae Levine (FY, Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Michelle Richter (SR, Chaska, Minn.) led the Auggies on the boards with six apiece. Levine also chipped in a nine points and three assists, while Richter added four points and an assist.

For St. Benedict (9-1 overall, 7-0 MIAC), Ariel Tauer (SR, Edina, Minn.) led the way, scoring 13 points and seven rebounds while adding three steals. The Blazers were led on the boards by Heather Gillund (SO, Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine HS) who recorded 10 rebounds and eight points.

The Auggies played well in throughout the first 10 minutes, tying things up at 12-12 off a free-throw by Levine. Augsburg came within two off a jumper by Christa Suedbeck (SR, Hugo, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) at the 8:11 mark, but that was as close as the Auggies would get. The Blazers went on a 15-5 run over the final eight minutes of the half and took a 33-21 lead into the locker room.

Augsburg couldn't keep up with the hot-shooting Blazers in the second half, who connected on 6-for-11 from the three-point line and 12-for-27 from the floor. For the game, the Auggies were held to 28.8 percent (17-of-59) from the field. St. Benedict also outrebounded the Auggies by a 39-30 margin in the game.

Augsburg will return to action on Saturday (1/7), when it hosts Macalester for a men's and women's doubleheader at Si Melby Hall. Women's action begins and 1 p.m. and the men tip off at 3 p.m.