Photos of SMU-Carleton game / click here

WINONA, Minn. — If Saint Mary's University women's basketball coach Shawn Stimmel has learned anything in his first year at the helm it's, when it comes to his Cardinals, expect the unexpected.

Like Wednesday's game against Carleton.

The Cardinals turned in one of their worst performances of the season on Monday, suffering through a 91-43 drubbing at the hands of St. Catherine.

Two days later — and still smartinig from that 48-point loss — the Cardinals did a complete 180-degree turnaround, putting together one of their best performances of the season against Carleton at the SMU Gym.

Kelly Tanke (La Crosse, Wis.) scored a career-high 24 points — including a pair of clutch free throws down the stretch — as SMU snapped its season-high six-game losing streak with a 57-51 win over the Knights.

The Knights, who had beaten the Cardinals 10 straight times heading into Wednesday's contest, had the upper hand early, taking a 27-20 advantage with two minutes remaining in the opening half. SMU, however, used a half-ending 8-0 run to grab a 28-27 halftime advantage.

Carleton regained the advantage once again in the second half, opening the game's final 20 minutes with a 13-7 run to take a 40-35 lead with 11:36 remaining in regulation. The Cardinals cut the lead down to two, 47-45, before Tanke drained one of her four 3-point baskets to give SMU the lead for good, 48-47, with 5:40 left.

Tanke finished the game going 10 of 23 from the field — including those four 3-pointers — and was the lone Cardinal scorer in double figures. Amber Connor tallied 14 points and Anna Biewen chipped in 10 in the losing effort for Carleton.