MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Scots closed the gap to one point in the fourth quarter, but Macalester women's basketball's late surge was cut short by the Auggies. Macalester fell 50-47 to Augsburg, in the MIAC contest. The Scots fall to 6-7 (3-6 MIAC), while the Auggies move to 5-7 (4-5 MIAC).

Junior guard/forwards Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) and Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep) kept the Scots within one, 5-4, early in the game, before the Auggies pulled away, going on an 11-2 run. First year guard Acacia Edmond (Houston, Texas/Shadow Creek) and Starks combined to keep the Scots within reach, ending the quarter down 17-11. In the second, the two teams battled back-and-forth. Macalester shot 36.36% in the second compared to Augsburg's 17.65% and didn't allow the gap to increase. Starks, sophomore forward Ellie Corbett (Austin, Texas/James Bowie), and junior guard Nicole Norton (Brussels, Wis./Southern Door) sank their shots to go into halftime only down five points, 27-22.

In the third, Starks knocked in two baskets while Norquist hit one to decrease the deficit to three, 33-30 with 4:45 left in the quarter. However, the Auggies responded with a 9-2 run. The Scots weren't deterred and first year guard Mary Daley (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan) sank a last second three-pointer at the end of the quarter, shifting momentum to the Scots as they headed into the fourth quarter down 42-35. Macalester stepped back onto the court carrying the momentum of Daley's shot, and went on a 6-1 run to start the fourth. Junior guard Camille Samuel (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory) hit both of her free throws and Starks and Daley continued pressing up front to close the game to one play, 43-41. Augsburg's Kalena Myrers and Maecee Alexander combined to increase the Augsburg lead to 48-41 with just under five minutes left of play. Norton, Norquist, and Starks led a 6-0 rally at the end of the game, but Augsburg's Melanie Delestrez made both of her free throws in the last 10 seconds of the game, giving Augsburg the win 50-47.

Starks led the team with 20 points on the afternoon, while Norquist tallied 10. Starks, Norquist, and Daley all registered a team high nine rebounds. Macalester shot 8-for-12 from the line, including going 3-for-3 in the second quarter, and 2-for-2 in the fourth.

Macalester will be back in the Leonard Center on Monday January 15. The Scots host Hamline, with tipoff at 5:45 p.m.