MOORHEAD, Minn. – Jasmine Choi (So./Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) tallied a career-best 22 points, but the Carleton College women's basketball team was unable to prevent host Concordia College Moorhead from pulling away late to claim a 78-68 decision.
 
This was the 11th consecutive game in which Choi finished in double figures. Fellow starter Jill Yanai (Sr./Glendale, Calif./Glendale) accounted for 14 points, six assists, and two steals while Aiana Whitfield (Jr./Richfield, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) contributed 10 points.
 
The Knights (5-11, 4-9 MIAC) got off to a slow start after an early 11:00 a.m. tipoff, falling behind 7-0 less than three minutes into the game. However, the visitors found their footing over remainder of the quarter. Carleton scored 17 of the game's next 27 points, tying the game for the first time at 17-17 on a Choi layup with a little under a minute remaining in the period. The teams traded a basket apiece in the final 40 seconds, and entered the first intermission tied 19-19.
 
Carleton took its first lead of the game with 7:55 left in first half, as a three-point play, again from Choi, put the Knights ahead 24-23. The lead changed hands three more times in rapid succession before Concordia (5-8, 5-6 MIAC) created a little separation with a 30-26 advantage, the first time in the second quarter either team led by more than one possession. Even with a last-second layup from Choi, the Cobbers took a 36-31 lead into the intermission. Overall, Choi scored 15 of Carleton's 31 first-half points after going 5-for-5 from the field and 5-of-5 at the charity stripe.
 
The teams traded basket after basket to begin the second half. While Concordia held the lead until the 4:38 mark of the third quarter, the Cobbers' advantage never swelled to more than four points over this stretch. The Knights finally broke through more than halfway through the quarter, tying the game at 44-44 on a pair of Bella Thomas (Fy./Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle) free throws. Concordia countered with seven straight points of its own, eventually ending the quarter on a 13-5 run that put the Cobbers up, 57-49, heading into the final 10 minutes.
 
While the Knights did pour in 19 points during the final quarter, they were never able to cut the Cobbers' lead down to less than eight. Concordia took its first double-digit lead of the game in the period, with their advantage stretching to as many as 15 en route to the 78-68 final score.
 
The Knights were anchored on defense by Margie Clauss (So./Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn), who recorded eight rebounds and a pair of blocks, while also scoring six points.
 
Carleton shot 44.4 percent from the field (24-of-54), compared to Concordia's 49.1 percent (27-of-55). While the teams shot an identical 16-for-21 from the free-throw line, Carleton won the scoring battle in the paint, 32-28. The Cobbers hit twice as many threes as the Knights, with eight compared to Carleton's four.
 
Concordia was led in scoring by reserve Jordyn Kahler, who came off the bench and poured in 17 points after going 5-of-7 from beyond the arc.
 
Up Next for the Knights:
Carleton returns home for a women's-men's doubleheader on Wednesday, Jan. 26. The women have a 5:00 p.m. showdown with the College of Saint Benedict, while the men host Saint John's University at 7:00 p.m.