ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The St. Catherine University basketball team claimed an exciting overtime win over the St. Olaf College Oles on Saturday afternoon at Butler Center. The Minnesota Intercollegaiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) victory is the Wildcats first of the 2024 season putting the team at 4-4 overall.
Four players posted double digit points on Saturday with sophomore
Hattie Fox and first-year
Jordyn Peed each had 17 with five rebounds a piece. Senior
Rachel Randleman recorded a career best 16 point game with three rebounds and
Emme Golembiewski delivered a team best nine boards with 13 points.
The first quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with St. Kate's gaining an early lead behind key three-pointers from
Greta Schimnowski and Randleman. Strong defensive plays by
Maddie Young and
Jordyn Peed helped extend the advantage, capitalizing on turnovers and rebounds.
St. Olaf surged ahead in the second quarter, turning a 17-10 deficit into a 29-22 lead . The Wildcats' struggled with turnovers and missed opportunities, though Golembieswski and
Lily Peper provided key buckets to keep the game within reach.
The Oles extended their lead in the third quarter with a strong offensive showing, but the Wildcats' efforts, highlighted by Fox and Randleman, kept the gap manageable at moments. St. Olaf's defensive pressure and timely three-pointers, particularly from Kyla Elsbury, helped maintain a comfortable 56-37 advantage by the end of the period.
The fourth quarter was a rollercoaster of emotions as St. Kate's chipped away at St. Olaf's lead, bringing the game to a tie in the final seconds. Peed and Fox delivered clutch baskets, while the Oles' Sophia Kormann and Chloee Smith kept their team in contention with key plays. With just one second left on the clock and St. Kate's up by two, Smith heroically drove into the paint for a layup, tying the game at 65-65.
In a back-and-forth battle, St. Kate's found their rhythm late in the overtime, sparked by Golembieswski's clutch free throws and Peed's electric fastbreak layup and three-pointer. St. Kate's sealed the game with Fox's dagger layup in the final seconds, securing the 77-69 victory.
