Box Score DULUTH, Minn. - The Carleton College women's basketball team closed the 2022-23 season with a 51-49 victory at the College of St. Scholastica.
Jasmine Choi (Jr./Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) finished with a team-high 16 points, including the game-winning basket with 2.5 seconds remaining.
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"On a day when we had a hard time putting the ball in the basket, we found a way to win," said Carleton head coach
Tammy Metcalf-Filzen. "I'm very proud of the fight of this team in overcoming so many injuries this season. I am fortunate to coach a group of young women who care so much for each other. We played hard, learned a lot, and stayed together through the season. Good things to come in the future!"
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Both teams got off to slow starts with St. Scholastica (1-23, 1-21 MIAC) holding a 9-7 lead as the first quarter wound down. Carleton's (8-16, 7-15 MIAC)
Liz Hiatt (Fy./Blaine, Minn./Irondale) came up with a steal and swished a half-court shot as the first quarter expired to give the Knights their first lead of the day.
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Carleton started the second frame with baskets by
Amelia Solt (Fy./Loveland, Colo./Thompson Valley) and
Emma Henry (Jr./Prior Lake, Minn./Academy of Holy Angels) to make it a 7-0 run that earned the Knights a 14-9 lead. Three consecutive 3-pointers by the Saints, however, put the home team back on top 18-14. Some back-and-forth play finished out the frame, leaving the teams tied at 25-25 going into intermission.
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Carleton shot only 28.5 percent in the first half, including 1-of-7 from 3-point range. St. Scholastica fared slightly better, connecting at a 35.0 percent clip while going 5-of-13 (38.5 percent from deep.
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Neither team found much separation during the third quarter, and the teams headed for the final stanza deadlocked at 39-39.
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The Saints began the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run to open up the largest lead for either team on the day. With Carleton trailing 46-39 and less than six minutes still to play,
Aiana Whitfield (Sr./Richfield, Minn./Benilde St.-Margaret's) drained a 3-pointer, only the second triple of the game for the Knights. That bucket sparked a 10-3 run for the visitors, tying the game at 49-49 with 1:24 still to go.
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The Carleton defense came up with multiple stops, setting the Knights up with possession for the potential game winner.
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Solt drove towards the baseline and found Choi, who scored 12 of her 16 points after halftime, for a layup with only 2.5 seconds remaining. The Knights forced the Saints into a late turnover and held on for the win 51-49.
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In addition to her scoring, Choi contributed seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Bella Thomas (So./Minneapolis, Minn./DeLaSalle) also had a great performance, tallying 10 points along with a career high-tying eight rebounds. Whitfield and Henry accounted for nine points apiece.
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Lexi Imdieke collected a game-high 18 points to lead the Saints, but was the team's lone player to achieve double-digit scoring.
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Carleton shot 33.3 percent in the second half and finished at 30.6 percent for the game, while limiting the Saints to 27.1 percent shooting overall, including only 2-of-15 (13.3 percent) in the fourth quarter.
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The Knights dominated on the interior, finishing with a 32-4 edge in paint points and registered a 27-7 edge in points off turnovers.
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