After starting out the season on a five-game winning streak, the St. Catherine University basketball team hit a slide losing its first two Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) games. That all changed this week, though, as they defeated Carleton College and earned a huge 67-63 upset of No. 6-nationally ranked University of St. Thomas – a win that ended the Tommies' undefeated season and 28-game winning streak against MIAC opponents. None of it would have been possible without the strong play of junior LaShay Holt (Minneapolis, Minn./Humboldt) who has been named the Wildcat Athlete of the Week.Â
Though Holt scored just eight points in the opening half of play against St. Thomas, she was the definition of clutch over the next 20 minutes for the Widlcats. In the second half, Holt scored 14 points and tallied five rebounds. After the Wildcats allowed the Tommies to go on an 11-0 run to pull within two late in the fourth quarter, Holt hit back-to-back 3-point buckets on consecutive trips up the floor to help the Wildcats distance themselves and pull away for the win.Â
Holt finished the game with a team- and season-high 22 points and team-best eight rebounds. She also collected three assists and steal. In the second half alone, Holt was 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and finished the game shooting 41.1 percent.Â
Wednesday, Holt also helped the Wildcats earn their first conference victory defeating Carleton 59-45. Holt contributed eight points, seven rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block in that win. On the week, Holt averaged 15 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game to lead the Wildcats.Â
This season, Holt is is third in the MIAC in rebounds per game (9.0) and tied for first in games against MIAC opponents (10.0 per game). In scoring, Holt ranks seventh with 15.1 ppg, but is fourth in MIAC games averaging 15.5 ppg. She is also second in steals (3.1 per game) and seventh in MIAC games for steals (2.0 per game).Â
Holt and the Wildcats will play once more before the holiday break with a non-conference match up against the University of Northwestern-St. Paul Saturday at 1 p.m. in Roseville, Minnesota.Â