NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- Katie Chavez (Sr./Westminster, Colo./Holy Family) and Jill Yanai (So./Glendale, Calif./Glendale) hit a series of clutch free throws down the stretch, and the Carleton College women's basketball team overcame a slow shooting performance to defeat Concordia College, 53-50, on Wednesday evening. The Knights' second win in a row, sparked by 24 points from Chavez, was decided in the final minute of a game in which neither team held a lead of more than six points.
 
"It wasn't the prettiest game offensively, but I am really proud of our defensive effort, rebounding, and grit," said Carleton head coach Tammy Metcalf-Filzen.
 
Carleton (7-11, 4-9 MIAC) trailed 46-43 with under three minutes to go. The Knights missed a 3-pointer, but during the scramble for the rebound, Chavez was elbowed in the head by a Cobber, leading to two free throws and possession of the ball for the home team. Chavez made both attempts from the charity stripe, and Yanai added a layup making it a four-point trip down the floor.
 
Carleton, the best free-throw shooting team in the MIAC—at 76.2 percent entering play—was able to close the game out at the line, with Chavez and Yanai combining to go 6-of-8 during the final 60 seconds to seal the victory.
 
The four-point sequence came after a tight fourth quarter, a period which featured four times and five lead changes. The largest lead of the period was a four-point advantage by Concordia (7-10, 5-7 MIAC) as the quarter began, but that was quickly eliminated by a 6-0 run from Carleton that took only 1:10, setting the stage for a thrilling final act.
 
The game was tight from the start, as Carleton led 12-10 after the first quarter and 23-20 heading into intermission.
 
Concordia outscored its hosts 15-8 in the third quarter and carried a 35-31 edge in to the final stanza.
 
Chavez once again put on a masterful performance. The senior finished with a game-high 24 points, including hitting all 11 of her free throws and three triples along the way. She was joined in double figures by Samantha Cooke (Sr./St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word Academy), who contributed 16 points and seven rebounds.
 
The Cobbers were led in scoring by Autumn Thompson's 15-point effort. Bailee Larson contributed a double-double with 10 points and game-high 11 rebounds before fouling out. Mary Sem also reached double figures with 10 points for the visitors.
 
Concordia managed to shot 38 percent in the contest. Carleton, meanwhile, shot only 27 percent overall, but made up for it by hitting 19 of its 25 free throws, vastly outpacing Concordia, which went just 6-of-8 from the line. The Knights also finished with a 15-6 advantage in points off turnovers and had an 8-0 edge in second-chance points after limiting the Cobbers to only three offensive rebounds.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE KNIGHTS: Carleton hosts No. 19-ranked Augsburg University for a 3 p.m. contest on Saturday, Feb. 1. That will be the second half of a doubleheader.