MINNEAPOLIS – Despite a balanced offensive output with six players scoring at least eight points, the Augsburg University women's basketball team was defeated by Saint Mary's University 71-63 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday evening at Si Melby Hall.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Saint Mary's 71, Augsburg 63
LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 11-11 overall (8-11 MIAC), Saint Mary's 8-14 overall (7-12 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• After narrowly trailing for a majority of the first quarter, Kalena Myers (JR, Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) hit a three with just 22 seconds on the clock to give Augsburg a 15-14 lead at the first quarter break. The Auggies maintained their advantage throughout the entirety of the second quarter, taking a 34-27 lead into halftime.
• The Auggie advantage continued to grow in the third quarter, peaking at 12 points with 3:39 on the clock. The Cardinals would close the quarter on a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to just four at the final intermission. Augsburg clung to a narrow lead for the opening minutes of the fourth, but Saint Mary's jumped back on top at 51-49 with 7:01 to play. Following two more quick lead changes, the Cardinals controlled the game's final five minutes as they would lead by as many as 10 on their way to the 71-63 win.
• Alli Born (FY, Otsego, Minn./Rogers HS) checked in as the Augsburg scoring leader with 11 pints and a team-leading three steals in 20 minutes off the bench. Also coming off the bench, Anja Smith (JR, Kewaskum, Wis./Saint Mary's Springs HS) was the only other Auggie in double figures with 10 points on 5-10 shooting.
• Jaley Coplin (SR, Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS) and Grace Eastman (SR, Elk River, Minn./St. Francis HS) finished with nine points each with Coplin adding six rebounds and two steals. Myers and Katie Manecke (JR, Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS) added eight points each while Nikole Gullerud (SR, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley HS) pulled down a team-best seven rebounds.
• Led by Born and Smith, Augsburg's bench was far more impactful than that of Saint Mary's with a 27-12 edge in scoring. Augsburg also managed a 12-7 scoring advantage on second-chance opportunities. Despite the Auggies only committing nine turnovers to the Cardinals' 17, each team scored 16 points off turnovers.

FOR THE FOES
• Brooklyn Paulson led all scorers with 19 points and eight rebounds while Ashley Streveler and Katelyn Cruze scored 12 each.

UP NEXT
• The Auggies will cross the river to face off with Hamline on Saturday, February 11 at 3 pm in Saint Paul.