WINONA, Minn. -- The Augsburg University women's basketball team fell behind early and could not move past host Saint Mary's University, as the Cardinals gained a 79-58 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory on Wednesday evening.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Saint Mary's 79, Augsburg 58
LOCATION: Saint Mary's Fieldhouse, Winona, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 3-19 overall (1-14 MIAC), Saint Mary's 10-11 overall (8-7 MIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
• A 15-4 run gave the Cardinals a 20-11 lead with 2:42 left in the first quarter, and the hosts never trailed after that. Saint Mary's pulled away to lead 46-26 at halftime, and led by as many as 21 points in the second half. Saint Mary's shot 46.3 percent (25-of-54) from the field in the game, compared to 35.9 percent (23-of-64) for the Auggies. The Cardinals connected on 20-of-22 from the free-throw line, compared to 5-of-10 for Augsburg.
• Augsburg was led by Katie Manecke (SR, Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS), who scored 17 points with four rebounds.
• Amira LaDuke (JR, Cass Lake, Minn./Cass Lake-Bena HS) and Lani Fonoti (FY, Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet HS) scored 10 points each, with LaDuke adding six rebounds and four assists, and Fonoti adding three assists and two rebounds.
• Post player Emma Kanz (JR, Brooklyn Park, Minn./Maple Grove HS) returned to the lineup after missing eight games due to injury, and scored eight points with five rebounds. Melanie Delestrez (JR, Lake Stevens, Wash./Lake Stevens HS) scored seven points with five rebounds.

FOR THE FOES
• Saint Mary's was led by Rylie Sternquist, who scored 25 points with six rebounds and four assists.
• Brianna Nusbaum scored 16 points with four rebounds and four assists.
 
UP NEXT
• Augsburg hosts St. Catherine University on Saturday (2/15) at 1 p.m. at Si Melby Hall.