With one of its best starts in recent years, the St. Catherine University basketball team had a golden opportunity to inch closer to the best team record since 2010-11 when the squad finished 6-19. And thanks to another solid performance from sophomore LaShay Holt (Minneapolis, Minn./Humboldt), the Wildcats were able to defeat the University of Northwestern-St. Paul 68-60 to match the six-win mark just eight games into the season Wednesday evening at the Butler Center in St. Paul. 

For the third-consecutive game, Holt posted a double-double performance as she proved nearly unstoppable. She matched her career-high in scoring with a game-high 28 points and added a team-best 12 rebounds. Holt went 12-of-19 from the floor which included her 8-of-11 in the second half. She drained two of the team's eight 3-pointers and had a team-best four steals. She also added four assits and two blocks. 

After jumping out to an early 12-point less thjan seven minutes into the game, the Eagles inched their way back into the half down just 4:42 remaining. The Wildcats then brought the pressure in the remaining minutes to take a 28-22 lead into the half despite being out-rebounded by the Eagles 32-18.

In the second half, the Wildcats shot 50 percent from the field and and 30.8 percent from beyond the arc to jump out to a 16-point lead with just over 10 minutes remaining. However, the Eagles' leading scorer in Chanel Madson hit several clutch 3-pointers and was an outside threat allowing the Wildcats to pull within six-points with 34 seconds remaining. But that would be as close as they would come as the Wildcats managed to hang on to improve to 6-2 on the season. 

In addition to the solid performance from Holt, Kennedy Jennings (Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes) proved extremely efficient going 5-for-5 from the field for 12 points that matched her career-best performance. She also had three steals and a block. 

Audra Clark (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo) had a complete stat line with seven points, a career- and team-high five assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block. Sister Meg Clark Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo) was also a factor scoring five points, as well as adding six boards, three assists and a steal. Mary Neumann (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown) had a strong night from beyond the arc going 3-for-6 for nine points off the bench.

As a team, the Wildcats finished the night shooting 41.9 percent from the field for their second-best percentage of the season for a single game. More impressive, though, was the team's 34 points in the paint and 23 points off of Eagle turnovers. 

For the Eagles, Regan Cooper pulled in 16 of their 53 rebounds, while Tiffany Stubbs had a team-best 16 points with four 3-pointers made. Chanel Madson also had a solid shooting night with 15 points and three field goals from beyond the arc. 

The Wildcats return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) action for their final game before the holiday break Saturday at home against the College of Saint Benedict. Game time is slated for 3 p.m. in the Butler Center. 

Wildcat Basketball on Twitter
Wildcat Basketball on Facebook
Wildcats on Twitter
Wildcats on Facebook