The St. Catherine University basketball team couldn't have asked for a much better start to the 2015-16 season with a four-game winning streak. With just one non-conference game remaining before the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) season begins, the Wildcats kept the momentum rolling to extend its winning streak to five in a row thanks to a last-second basket from
Mari Lee (Dawson, Minn./Dawson-Boyd) in a 81-79 decision over the University of Wisconsin-Stout Sunday in Menomonie, Wisconsin.
Lee couldn't have asked for a better time to record her first collegiate double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. She also scored the game-winning basket with just 2.8 seconds remaining on the clock that left no time for the Blue Devils to get a shot off. Lee's game-clinching shot helped the Wildcats improve to 5-0 to match the team's best start since 2008-09.
After allowing the Blue Devils to score the first bucket of the game, the Wildcats managed to outscore the Blue Devils 22-16 in the remainder of the first quarter to take a six-point lead. In the second quarter, though, the Blue Devils eventually got into a rhythm and even managed to regain the lead at 35-34 with 3:13 remaining in the quarter. The Wildcats regained a short lead to go up 39-37 at the half.
With 6:19 remaining in the third, the Wildcats climbed out to a 10-point lead and looked as though they were in control of the game. The Blue Devils then went on a 15-7 run in the next 3:57 to take a one-point lead before the Wildcats regained a 63-60 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final 10 minutes, the Wildcats tried to push their lead and pull away, but couldn't get ahead by more than four points as the Blue Devils continued to hang around and keep the game close. A foul with 26 seconds remaining allowed the Blue Devils to tie the game with two free throws made. Then, in the final seconds, Lee grabbed an offensive board off a missed 3-point shot and poured in a layup to lift her team to victory.
Lee was one of six Wildcats who scored in double-digits and who helped the team finish shooting a season-high 46 percent from the field.
Shauna Horsch scored a team-high 19 points and added four rebounds and four assists, while Lee also tallied a team-high two blocks.
Meg Clark (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo) tied her career-high total with 14 points shooting 5-of-8 while also adding three steals.
Audra Clark (
Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo) matched her sister's total of 14 points shooting 4-of-7 from the field and picking up a team-high five assists on the day.
Kennedy Jennings (Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes) scored 10 points, pulled in five boards and created a team-high four steals. LaShay Holt (Minneapolis, Minn./Humboldt) also came off the bench for 13 points and five rebounds.
Leading the way for UW-Stout was Jenna Goldsmith who poured in a game-best 21 points, nine rebounds and a game-high four blocks. Kyleigh Hebert also played a significant role with 11 points, five boards, and a game-high seven assists.
With the win, the Wildcats head into MIAC play as one of just three conference teams without a loss this season. The Wildcats have opened MIAC play with a victory in each of the last two seasons including a last-second win over Bethel University a year ago. The Wildcats will face Bethel on the road Wednesday for a 7 p.m. game in Arden Hills, Minnesota. Wildcat Basketball on TwitterWildcat Basketball on FacebookWildcats on InstagramWildcats on TwitterWildcats on Facebook