After starting the season with the best mark for the program in the last five years, the St. Catherine University basketball team hoped to close out 2014 on a high-note but knew it would be difficult to take down a College of Saint Benedict squad that was searching for its first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) win of the season. Despite holding a five-point lead at the half, the Wildcats couldn't hang on as the Blazers pulled away for a 73-70 win in the final seconds of the game Saturday afternoon in the Butler Center.

After early back-and-forth play between the two teams, the Blazers slowly built a 28-19 lead with 6:08 to play in the first half. The Wildcats then went on a 15-2 run to take a 35-30 lead into the half thanks to spectacular shooting from the free throw line. The Blazers committed just five fouls in the first half, but the Wildcats managed to go 8-of-8 from the charity stripe to take a slight advantage into the break.

The Blazers scored first in the second half to put pressure back on the Wildcats who responded well and built their lead to nine with 14:55 to play. The Blazers then regained the lead for the first time since the first half after a 10 run over the next 3:10. With 7:12 to play, the Blazers again pushed their lead to six before allowing the Wildcats to regain momentum as the scored five points in the next 38 seconds to be down just one.

With 5:28 remaining, the game was knotted at 57-57 with both teams exchanging leads until 2:31 when the score was tied at 65-65. The Blazers then held on to a three-point lead until LaShay Holt (Minneapolis, Minn./Humboldt) came up with a clutch 3-pointer to even the score at 70-70 with 1:04 remaining. The Blazers' leading scorer Mattie Lueck then made a jumper in the paint before Annie Dittberner added a free throw to give the Blazers a 73-70 lead after a missed 3-point shot by the Wildcats.

The Wildcats had one last chance with nine seconds to go, but couldn't make the final 3-point shot in suffering their third loss of the season and falling to 1-2 in the MIAC. The Wildcats couldn't find a way to slow down the Blazers in the second half who shot 54.5 percent from the field and 50.9 percent for the game. The Wildcats finished the game shooting just 36.7 percent from the field but and impressive 20-of-23 from the charity stripe.

Holt was again the Wildcats' leading scorer with a game-high 24 points and eight rebounds. She was just 5-of-19 from the field, but made two key shots from beyond the arc and was a remarkable 12-of-12 from the free throw line. She also had a game-high five steal and added two assists to complete her stat line.

For the second straight game, Kennedy Jennings (Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes) has started and been the team's most efficient force on the floor. Against the Blazers, she tallied a career-best 16 points and went 6-of-9 from the floor ,which included making her only shot from 3-point range. She also had a game-best nine boards and boast two blocks, a steal and an assist to complete her all-around solid performance.

Audra Clark (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo) was a valuable component of the Wildcats' success making several baskets at critical moments and challenging the tall Blazer posts driving inside all game. She was good for 12 points and sunk a 3-pointer that gave the Wildcats a one-point lead with five minutes to play. She also had six rebounds, a team-high four assists and a steal in her team-high 38 minutes played.

Shauna Horsch (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) was back on track Saturday with 10 points that included making all four of her shots from the charity stripe and a late-game 3-pointer. The junior was also solid defensively with four defensive rebounds, two blocks and two steals.,Mari Lee (Dawson, Minn./Dawson-Boyd) came off the bench to add six points going a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor.

For the Blazers, Lueck was 9-of-13 from the floor for a team-best 21 points and eight rebounds. She also had a game-high six assists with all of them coming in the first half. She added to that four steals and a block. Abby Miller added 12 points, while Niki Fokken had eight points and four blocks.

The Wildcats will take some time off before returning to action Tuesday, Dec. 30 for a 1 p.m. non-conference contest against Concordia University Chicago in the Butler Center. Then, they take on Augsburg College at home for a 3 p.m. matchup on Saturday, Jan. 3 to reopen conference action.

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