WINONA, Minn. – Fueled by a 19-point, 22-rebound double-double from Anja Smith (SO, Kewaskum, Wis./Saint Mary's Springs HS), the Augsburg University women's basketball team topped Saint Mary's University 56-49 on Monday evening, improving to a perfect 9-0 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play this season.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg def. Saint Mary's, 56-49
LOCATION: Saint Mary's Gym, Winona, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 8-3 overall (9-0 MIAC), Saint Mary's 4-8 overall (3-6 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Both teams struggled offensively in the early portion of the game, with the Auggies holding a 14-10 lead at the end of the first despite shooting 6-of-17 from the floor (35.3 percent). The Auggie defense stepped up and stifled the Cardinals in the first, holding St. Mary's to just 3-of-12 shooting (25.0 percent) in the opening frame.
• The second quarter was another low scoring affair, as each team added 10 points while shooting sub-25 percent. At the half, the Augsburg lead remained at four.  
• The Cardinals were the much more efficient team in the third quarter, knocking down four of their nine shots compared to Augsburg's 5-of-19 shooting performance. Despite the lopsided shooting percentage, Saint Mary's only managed to cut the deficit to two heading into the final quarter.
• The Auggie defense stepped up again in the fourth, holding the Cardinals to just 11 points while scoring 16 on offense en route to the seven-point victory.
• Smith had a career night for the Auggies, scoring 19 on 8-of-20 shooting and grabbing 22 rebounds and two steals. Her 22-rebound performance was the seventh 20-plus-rebound performance in team history and the first since the 2003-04 season.
• Playing in her hometown, Selena Lor (SR, Winona, Minn./Winona HS) was also a key contributor on offense, pouring in 17 points on 5-of-12 shooting, along with four rebounds and two assists.
• Kalena Myers (SO, Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) rounded out the Auggies' scoring trio with 13 points, three steals, two rebounds, and an assist.
• The Auggies took advantage of 23 Cardinal turnovers, cashing in 25 points off turnovers on the night. Augsburg also led 9-4 in second chance points and won the battle in the paint 30-20.  

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• The Auggies' 8-0 to start to MIAC play this season sets a new program record for most MIAC wins in a row to start the season, besting the previous record of 7-0 set in 2018-19.
• The Auggie victory marked their fourth straight over the Cardinals, a streak that stretches back to 2018.

FOR THE FOES
• Brooklyn Paulson was the scoring leader for Saint Mary's, notching a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.  

UP NEXT
• The Auggies will return to Si Melby Hall when they host Concordia-Moorhead on Wednesday (1/12) at 5:15 p.m.