Kelly Tanke paced the Cardinals (6-16, 4-15 MIAC) with a game-high 24 points, including 15 in the second half and 4-for-10 from three-point range. She nailed a key three-pointer with 97 seconds left that staked the Cardinals to a five-point lead.
Carleton's leading scorer, Hannah Oken-Berg, was held to six points and miraculously she shot no free throws. She did add seven rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots. Megan Mileusnic added eight points and nine rebounds and Annie Isler posted seven points and five rebounds.
The Cardinals finished the first half on an 8-0 run to take a 28-27 lead at the break. The hosts extended to a three-point margin before the Knights answered with an 11-3 run, with Mileusnic scoring five during the run that was capped by Connor's bucket and the Knights led, 40-35, with 11:35 left. As they had in the first half, though, Carleton was unable to build on their lead due to the turnovers, and Tanke drilled a three and Nichole Hanson followed with another long-range basket to give the Cardinals the lead.
The Knights battled back, as Connor and Oken-Berg scored on consecutive possessions to give Carleton its last lead with six minutes left, as the Knights had but one field goal the rest of the way.
The first half was nearly a mirror image of the second half. Carleton raced to an early six-point but turned the ball over on three straight possessions. Twice Carleton had the lead up to seven points, but both times SMU answered with consecutive field goals, and the latter time used the 8-0 run to cap the half.
Carleton's 19 turnovers proved to be its undoing, as the Cardinals held a 24-14 advantage on points off turnovers. The Knights out-rebounded the hosts, 37-33, but gave up 14 offensive rebounds. Carleton, which usually dominates the free-throw statistic, was only 9-for-10 compared to 5-of-11 for SMU.
The Knights are still in fourth place in the MIAC, only one game back of Concordia-Moorhead, which was also upset by Bethel at home tonight. St. Thomas, which lost at Gustavus, and St. Catherine, which beat Hamline, are both one game back of the Knights in a tie for fifth.
Carleton returns home for its final three regular-season games, starting with the battle for the Presidents' Cup against Northfield rival St. Olaf College on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. The game can be heard live locally on KQCL 95.9 FM/Power 96 and worldwide on Power 96.
Carleton College vs Saint Mary's University 2-7-07 8:00 at SMU GYM WINONA, MN At SMU GYM WINONA, MN SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY 57, CARLETON COLLEGE 51 CARLETON COLLEGE (12-7 MIAC, 15-7) Amber Connor 7-13 0-0 14; Anna Biewen 4-6 2-2 10; Megan Mileusnic 3-6 1-2 8; Annie Isler 1-4 4-4 7; Hannah Oken-Berg 3-11 0-0 6; Liz Baumgartner 1-3 2-2 4; Annie Eckhoff 1-2 0-0 2; Sarah Kunelius 0-5 0-0 0; Joy Esboldt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-50 9-10 51. SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY (4-14 MIAC, 6-16) Kelly Tanke 10-23 0-0 24; Stephanie Ayers 3-6 3-6 9; Jessica Weisbrod 3-10 1-2 7; Danielle Dehning 3-7 0-0 6; Nichole Hanson 2-3 0-1 6; Amy Saufferer 1-3 1-2 3; Melissa Launhardt 1-4 0-0 2; Dusty Benham 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 23-59 5-11 57. Carleton College.............. 27 24 - 51 Saint Mary's University....... 28 29 - 57 3-point goals-Carleton College 2-10 (Annie Isler 1-2; Megan Mileusnic 1-2; Liz Baumgartner 0-2; Sarah Kunelius 0-3; Amber Connor 0-1), Saint Mary's University 6-13 (Kelly Tanke 4-10; Nichole Hanson 2-3). Fouled out--Carleton College-None, Saint Mary's University-None. Rebounds-Carleton College 37 (Megan Mileusnic 9), Saint Mary's University 33 (Jessica Weisbrod 8). Assists-Carleton College 9 (Hannah Oken-Berg 4), Saint Mary's University 16 (Jessica Weisbrod 4; Amy Saufferer 4). Total fouls-Carleton College 14, Saint Mary's University 14. A-241