Buena Vista was paced by Amy Meggers' game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds while Katie Maguire added 17 points and six assists and Kelli Taylor chipped in with 12 points and six rebounds. The Beavers (27-2) advance to play in the NCAA Tournament sectional on March 12-13 to face the winner of the Chapman University (Calif.)-University of Puget Sound (Wash.) winner. It marked BVU's 17th consecutive victory.
Linnea Engel posted 16 points and six rebounds for Carleton, while Kari Christianson was also in double figures with 10 points.
Carleton faced a huge free-throw disparity in the game, as the host Beavers were 26-for-33 from the line while Carleton shot only 15 free throw, converting nine of those attempts. Carleton's two starting post players, Vig and Beth Freeman, tallied a combined 32 shot attempts but didn't shoot a single free throw.
The Knights (25-4) held the Beavers 29 percent shooting in grabbing a 30-27 halftime lead. Vig tallied 11 points in the first stanza and Christianson gave the Knights a lift with six points off the bench.
BVU tied the game right out of the locker room on a Meggers triple and free throw, but Carleton responded with an 8-3 spurt and stretched the lead to 40-34 on a pair of Christianson free throws. The hosts answered eight back, using a 17-4 spurt that proved to be enough for the victory. Taylor started the spree with a triple with Maguire scoring five points and Meggers four during the spurt.
Carleton made one, final run. Facing a six-point deficit with 6:26 left, the Knights quickly closed the gap to one. The Knights were never able to regain the lead, however, pulling within two points on four occasions in the final four minutes. The final time came after a Vig lay-up with 2:43 left, but Maguire and Taylor scored consecutive buckets inside and the Knights got no closer than four points as BVU was 6-of-8 from the free-throw line in the final minute.
For the game the Knights shot 37.3 percent to BVU's 39.2 percent. Carleton actually made more field goals than the hosts, 25-20, but the Knights were unable to overcome the huge free-throw disparity. Carleton held a sizable 43-38 edge on the glass, inlcluding a season-high 18 offensive rebounds.
Carleton's 25 victories this season matches last year's total for the most in school history. The Knights are 50-7 over the last two years and 73-13 over the last three seasons.
Newspaper Box Score Carleton College vs Buena Vista University 03/06/04 4 p.m. at Storm Lake, Iowa (Siebens Fieldhouse) At Storm Lake, Iowa (Siebens Fieldhouse) BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY 69, CARLETON COLLEGE 61 CARLETON COLLEGE (25-3) Megan Vig 8-21 0-0 17; Linnea Engel 6-11 4-6 16; Kari Christianson 4-10 2-2 10; Beth Freeman 4-11 0-0 8; Katie Freeman 2-6 0-1 5; Cassie Hammond 1-3 1-2 3; Kristi Colbenson 0-3 2-4 2; Kate Krueger 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 25-69 9-15 61. BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY (26-2) Meggers, Amy 7-13 6-9 21; Maguire, Katie 4-10 8-8 17; Taylor, Kelli 4-12 3-4 12; Kapler, Kristina 3-8 3-4 9; Griggs, Jess 2-5 0-0 4; Holtorf, Megan 0-2 4-6 4; Staley, Kelli 0-2 2-2 2. Totals 20-52 26-33 69. Carleton College.............. 30 31 - 61 Buena Vista University........ 27 42 - 69 3-point goals-Carleton College 2-13 (Megan Vig 1-3; Katie Freeman 1-3; Kari Christianson 0-2; Kate Krueger 0-3; Linnea Engel 0-2), Buena Vista University 3-9 (Maguire, Katie 1-2; Taylor, Kelli 1-4; Meggers, Amy 1-2; Griggs, Jess 0-1). Fouled out--Carleton College-Kristi Colbenson; Beth Freeman, Buena Vista University-Kapler, Kristina. Rebounds-Carleton College 48 (Megan Vig 9), Buena Vista University 37 (Meggers, Amy 8). Assists-Carleton College 16 (Kate Krueger 5; Katie Freeman 5), Buena Vista University 12 (Maguire, Katie 5). Total fouls-Carleton College 24, Buena Vista University 15. A-985 NCAA Tournament Second Round