NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College women's basketball team rolled to a comprehensive victory, triumphing 73-49 over Augsburg University on Saturday.
"It was a fun afternoon for us in West Gym," said Carleton head coach
Tammy Metcalf-Filzen. "A true team effort where we were able to put the pieces together. Lots of work to be done to continue to improve, but I'm grateful to coach players who understand that and who look forward to practice on Monday."
Carleton (2-9, 1-3 MIAC) shot 49.0 percent from the floor, and knocked down 10-of-25 threes (40.0 percent) in their best shooting performance of the year. The Knights dished out a season-high 16 assists, swiped 12 steals, and won the rebound battle 36-34. Those 10 three-pointers are tied for the 10th-most made in a Carleton women's basketball game and are most by the Knights since making the same number at St. Catherine University on Feb. 22, 2020.
The Knights limited Augsburg (2-9, 0-4 MIAC) to 29.3 percent shooting overall, and 15.0 percent from deep (3-for-20). The Auggies had 14 offensive rebounds but could only create seven second-chance points from those boards.
Carleton got contributions from all over the lineup, with a quartet of Knights finishing on 13 points apiece.
Liesl McCallum stuffed the stat sheet off the bench, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line to score 13 points while contributing eight boards, three assists, and three steals. All of those totals were career highs.
Seniors
Nayeli Williams and
Selma Vangstein scored their 13 on identical 5-of-8 shooting, with Vangstein pulling down six rebounds and dishing out four assists while Williams posted three steals. Williams' point total tied her career best.
Audrey Whitney hit 3-of-7 three-pointers and added three helpers with her baker's dozen.
Addy Huss neared a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.
Charlotte Henry,
Jasmine Maldonado, and
Grace Schwarz combined for 12 additional points off the bench.
Williams and Huss hit early threes to put Carleton up 6-2, and after the Auggies tied the score at six, the Knights concluded the opening quarter on a 12-0 spurt—with points coming from six different players—part of a longer 20-4 run. Carleton never looked back and led by at least 11 points the rest of the way.
The Carleton offense cooled a bit in the second quarter, as they shot 4-of-14 in the frame, but a strong defense kept Augsburg off the board as well and the Knights went into the break up 31-18.
As well as Carleton played in the first half, the offense did even more damage after intermission, tallying 21 points in both the third and fourth stanzas. The 73 points are the most for the Knights since securing an 80-74 win over Augsburg on Jan. 25, 2023.
Vangstein hit a pair of 3-pointers in the middle of the third quarter, and Carleton continued to build on its lead with a 21-11 edge in the period. The Knights was a blistering 8-of-11 from the field in the fourth quarter, helped by McCallum posting eight points on perfect shooting.
Amira LaDuke led the Auggies with nine points.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton hosts Hamline University on Wednesday, Jan. 8, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. at West Gym.
