ST. PETER, Minn.---After a solid start to the season, the St. Catherine University basketball team has struggled so far in 2016 to close out a game and earn a win. Heading into its Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) matchup with a strong Gustavus Adolphus College team Wednesday, the Wildcats hoped to snap a three-game losing streak but couldn't slow down the sharp-shooting Gusties in a 74-59 loss. 

The Gusties out-muscled the Wildcats on the boards witha  huge 41-27 advantage to make second-chance opportunities difficult for the Wildcats who shot just 33.9 percent from the field. The Wildcats also allowed the Gusties to shoot 50 percent and gave up 36 points in the paint. 

In the first quarter the Wildcats were able to climb out to a seven-point lead with less than two minutes remaining after taking the lead early and not allowing the Gusties to get too close. After 10 minutes of play, the Wildcats led 26-19 but the Gusties responded with a 12-4 run to regain the lead with 3:58 left in the half. The Wildcats would take the lead back once more six second later, but that was the last time as the Gusties closed out the half with a 10-6 run and a 41-37 lead. 

Less than four minutes into the second half, the Gusties were able to push their lead to 10 and managed to maintain a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game en route to their fifth conference win of the season. 

LaShay Holt (Minneapolis, Minn./Humboldt) led the Wildcats with 15 points, while Shauna Horsch (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) poured in 14 points after going 3-for-5 from beyond the arc and 5-of-9 from the field. Holt also picked up six points off of 3-pointers and scored five from the charity stripe. The sophomore also had five rebounds and two steals. 

Meg Clark (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo) led the team with six rebounds and scored in double digits for the third-straight game with 12 points and three assists, while twin sister Audra Clark (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo) added 10 points and team-highs for steals (3) and assists (6). 

Kennedy Jennings (Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes) went 3-for-4 from the field for six points and had two blocks, while Mari Lee (Dawson, Minn./Dawson-Boyd) added three boards and two points. 

Leading the way for the Gusties was Miranda Rice with a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double performance to lead the game in both categories. Justine Lee added 13 points and Taylor Anderson tallied 10. 

With the the Wildcats move to on the season and in the MIAC. They return home Saturday for a MIAC game against St. Olaf College at 3 p.m. in the Butler Center. 

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