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Saturday, February 15, 2003 |
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(Through Friday, February 14) |
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Despite doubling up on double-doubles — Ashley Luehmann (Lewiston, Minn.) netted 22 points and added 11 rebounds, while Jamie Rattunde (Rollingstone, Minn.) tallied 16 points and 11 rebounds — the Cardinals dropped their second straight and fourth in their last five games, losing to Gustavus 61-54 Wednesday. … Augsburg, meanwhile, saw its losing streak hit 12 straight with a 66-47 loss to St. Olaf. |
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The Cardinals shot just 29 percent from the field (13-for-45) and scored just 16 first-half points, but a 34-point second-half outburst — fueled by a 17-for-24 performance from the free-throw line – helped the Caridnals pull away fro Augsburg 50-45 |
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There are three teams — Concordia (10-10), St. Catherine (9-10) and SMU (9-11) — battling for the final two MIAC playoff spots. … SMU faces Augsburg (3-16 and losers of 12 straight) and St. Catherine, while St. Catherine plays Bethel (5-14), SMU and Augsburg, and Concordia takes on Hamline (5-14) and Augsburg. … If Concordia wins both, the Cobbers are in. … If St. Catherine wins all three of its games, the Wildcats are in. … If SMU and St. Catherine both win two, meaning SMU beats the Wildcats on Wednesday, the Cardinals hold the tiebreaker (2-0 head-to-head) and they are in. … If St. Catherine wins vs. SMU on Wednesday, St. Catherine holds the tiebreaker (record vs. other playoff teams) and is in. |
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Freshman / Forward Hometown Major |
WINONA, Minn. — With three games remaining in the regular season, Saint Mary’s University women’s basketball coach Dan Messmann figured his team needed to win two of the three to be assured of a spot in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference post-season tournament.
Make that two of two.
Despite a pair of double-double performances from Ashley Luehmann (Lewiston, Minn.) and Jamie Rattunde (Rollingstone, Minn.), the Cardinals couldn’t slow down Gustavus, as the Gusties posted their school-record 21st win of the season with a 61-54 decision over the Cardinals Wednesday evening.
“We played a solid game — we went toe-to-toe with them — we just didn’t have enough left down the stretch,” said Messmann, whose team trailed by by four at the half, but used a 13-8 run to take a 35-34 lead with 14:29 remaining. “It was a game of spurts — (Gustavus) would go up by seven, we’d battle back, they’d go up up seven again, and we’d battle back again.
“We just couldn’t keep it up.”
Luehmann tossed in a career-high 22 points and added a career-best 11 rebounds — including 10 defensive boards — for her first-ever double-double, while Rattunde netted 16 points and added 11 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season.
“Those two were outstanding,” Messmann said of Luehmann and Rattunde, who accounted for 38 of the team’s 54 points and 22 of its 35 rebounds. “But two players can’t carry this team — we needed everyone contributing, and (agianst Gustavus) we didn’t get that.”
And while the loss doesn’t eliminate the Cardinals from playoff contention, it certainly doesn’t make the road to the postseason any easier.
“I don’t think (the loss to Gustavus) puts any extra pressure on us,” said Messmann, whose team faces Augsburg tonight, before closing out the regular season next Wednesday at home against St. Catherine. “We’ve known for a long time that our (playoff hopes) could come down to next Wednesday’s game against St. Catherine. But before we can worry about them, we’ve got to take care of business (today against Augsburg).
“They may be struggling a big right now (Augsburg has lost 12 straight, including a 50-45 setback to the Cardinals on Jan. 15), but they are capable of knocking off anyone,” Messmann warned. “We can’t afford to be looking past them.”