MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Augsburg earned a season split with St. Kate's on Wednesday night, topping the Wildcats 60-50. The Wildcats remain in sixth place in the MIAC—the final position to earn a playoff bid. But the loss sets up a dramatic finish to the regular season this Saturday at the Butler Center: a showdown with seventh place St. Olaf who won the two teams' last meeting. The winner advances, the loser's year is done.

 Looking back on Wednesday's game, both the Auggies and Wildcats played tight defense from the outset. St. Kate's forced 6 turnovers in the first quarter and scored 8 points off of those. Each team hit five field goals, and the quarter ended in a 12-all tie.  Sam Orth put in two close-range shots early in the second quarter, but a Sydney Elliot three would be the Wildcats' only other field goal in the period. It was the Auggies' turn to score 8 points off of turnovers in a quarter, and those baskets saw them pull away to a 37-22 lead by halftime.

Things continued to go the Auggies' way to start the third. They extended their lead to 19 points with three minutes left in the frame. But free throws by Orth and Maddie Young and a layup by Emme Golembiewski brought the margin back to 15 by the quarter's end. The fourth quarter started slowly, and the Auggies were still up by a dozen with under six minutes to play. Then, the Wildcats made it interesting. Greta Schimnowski scored in the paint. On the other end, Kaylee Miron pulled down a rebound and started a quick break that Bree Glynn finished to cut the deficit to eight. Next, Augsburg scored from the field, and St. Kate's scored from the free throw line. Then Rachel Randleman hit a clutch three with just under 3 minutes remaining to pull the Wildcats within six. Their defense gave them a chance down the stretch—they forced some Augsburg misses and turnovers--but St. Kate's couldn't capitalize, and the Auggies scored the final two hoops to make the margin of victory ten.

Sam Orth led the scoring with 15; she also had 8 rebounds. Sydney Elliot contributed 8 points, going 3 for 6 from the field. Rachel Randleman also scored 8.

St. Kate's will host senior day on Saturday honoring Bree Glynn, Mackenzie Kurczek and Sam Orth prior to the game against St. Olaf at 3 pm at Butler Center.