St. Joseph, Minn. – The Macalester College women's basketball team played its 20^th game of the season, traveling to St. Joseph to take on the Bennies of Saint Benedict. The Scots put in a great effort, but fell 68-54. The Scots are now 8-12 (6-11 MIAC).
 
First year guard/forward Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep) put up the first basket of the afternoon. The game went back-and-forth for the next three and half minutes. Senior guard Celine Sabbagh (Eau Claire, Wis./Regis) sank a three-pointer to keep the Scots within one, 10-9, halfway through the first quarter. However, the Bennies would go on a 10-2 run to end the quarter ahead of the Scots, 20-11.
 
The Scots came out with a bang in the second quarter, starting with an 8-0 run. sophomore guard Andrea Palmen (Kenosha, Wis./The Prairie School) opened the scoring along with Norquist and first year guard/forward Peyton Starks (St. Louis, MO./John Burroughs School). However, the Bennies would answer back with nine of their own. Sabbagh ended the Bennies' run with a layup, making the score 29-21, with 2:14 in the half. Junior guard Solana Cushing (Minneapolis, Minn./South) cancelled out a Bennies three with one of her own, but the Scots were still down 24-34 going into halftime.
 
The Scots rallied in the third quarter, with Starks putting up the eight of the first ten points for the Scots. After a free throw made by Norquist, the Scots were behind 35-39, closing the gap to five with just over four minutes in the quarter. First year guard/forward Jada Northover (San Francisco, Calif./San Francisco University High School) and sophomore guard Maia Pedrosa (South San Francisco, Calif./Urban School of San Francisco) came off the bench and each threw up a three-pointer to come within two, 43-41, with 2:08 left in the third. Saint Benedict would put up two more baskets to increase their lead to six, 47-41, heading into the fourth.
 
Norquist and Starks again opened the scoring for the Scots and got within two, 47-45, less than a minute into the final quarter. However, the Scots efforts were not enough. The Bennies would put up 21 points, and despite three pointers from Sabbagh and Cushing, the Scots fell 68-54.
  
Starks led the team with 12 points. Cushing led the team in rebounds with 10. Norquist registered three assists on the afternoon. The Scots tallied a 37.5% field goal percentage.
 
The Scots next game is Monday, February 7. They travel to Duluth for a MIAC matchup against St. Scholastica. Tipoff is at 7:00 p.m.