ST. PAUL, Minn. – Low scoring but high drama was the script in Minnesota's capital, as the Carleton College women's basketball team pulled out a gutsy 49-47 victory over Macalester College on the road.
 
The game started quietly, with just one combined field goal in the opening three-and-a-half minutes. Addy Huss got things going by scoring the first nine points for the Knights (4-4, 1-2 MIAC). A deep two from Mary Daley a few ticks before the quarter break gave Macalester (1-8, 0-3 MIAC) a 15-13 lead after one frame.
 
The defensive battle continued in the second, with the teams trading scattered twos. Jasmine Maldonado hit a tricky runner at 2:35 to tie the game at 19-all, but Cady Davis made a pair of late free throws for a 21-19 Scots edge at half.
 
Taylor Dente came out of the locker room and splashed a triple for the second half's first bucket, but the hosts embarked on an 11-1 run to open up a 32-23 lead at 6:30 in the third. Dente canned another trey to halt that run and begin a Carleton spurt, where they outscored the Scots 10-2 over the remainder of the third quarter. That roll was aided by Liesl McCallum's first career three, and put the score at 34-33 Macalester with a quarter to go.
 
Neither team could find a fourth-quarter rhythm early, but both offenses sprang to life around the two-minute mark, with Faith Acardo hitting a pair of threes to respond to tough buckets from Huss and McCallum. That back-and-forth put the score at 47-46, Scots.
 
With 30 seconds to go, Huss poked the ball away on the defensive end, and Carleton moved down the court. Audrey Whitney couldn't get a driving layup to fall, but she picked up her own miss for her 11th rebound on the day and dumped off to McCallum. The sophomore big was fouled and hit two clutch free throws to give the Knights a 48-47 lead with 8.1 seconds to go. Macalester briefly appeared to take the lead on the ensuing possession, but a go-ahead 3-pointer was waved off because the shooter's heel was out of bounds. Huss was intentionally fouled and hit one of two free throws, and a half-court heave from the Scots was no good, giving Carleton a hard-earned win.
 
McCallum and Huss tied for the game high with 17 points apiece. Huss added six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. McCallum tacked on another six boards, a steal, and a block. Whitney's game-high 11 rebounds were three more than her previous career best.
 
Both defenses showed up in this midweek tilt. Carleton held Macalester to 28.1 percent from the floor, and a 5-of-26 (19.2 percent) performance from 3-point range. No Scot reached double figures in points. The Knights, for their part, were limited to 29.3 percent shooting and 31.3 percent (5-for-16) from deep. The maize and blue were just 10-for-19 from the free throw line (52.6 percent), but hit when it mattered. Carleton totaled 10 steals, tying a season high, and Macalester racked up six blocks. The rebound battle fell Macalester's way, 48-41. The Knights committed just 10 turnovers, their fewest since Nov. 9, 2022.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton plays its penultimate game of 2025 on Friday, Dec. 12, hosting Martin Luther College at West Gym. The contest will tip at 5:00 p.m.