ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College women's basketball team earned a MIAC victory over Carleton College, 67-53 in a MIAC game Wednesday night in the Leonard Center. The Scots close out the 2024 portion of their schedule with a 7-3 record, including a 2-1 mark in the conference. The Knights fall to 1-8 overall and 0-3 in the MIAC.
In the first quarter, senior guard
Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) tallied eight points to help Macalester take a 14-10 lead after the first 10 minutes. Carleton quickly tied the score at the start of the second quarter with back-to-back baskets by Audrey Whitney. The Scots scored the next five points on a basket and free throw from senior forward
Katherine Norquist (Chicago, ill./Walter Payton College Prep) and a layup by sophomore guard
Mary Daley (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan) to spark a 14-3 spree over the rest of the quarter and take a 28-17 advantage into the halftime break. Macalester held the Knights to just two field goals in 11 attempts in the second quarter.
In the third quarter, the Scots opened up with a 12-5 run that saw Starks score six points for a 40-20 lead with 5:24 on the clock. At that point, the Knights' offense came alive with a 14-5 run over the next three minutes to get back in the game, 45-34 with 2:32 left in the quarter. After the teams exchanged baskets in the final minute of the quarter, sophomore guard
Kendall Bernbaum (Dallas, Texas/Shelton School) took a corner three that bounced high off the rim and in for a 50-36 lead heading into the final quarter.
A pair of baskets off of Macalester turnovers brought the Knights to within 10, 50-40 early in the fourth quarter. Norquist responded with two buckets of her own followed by a three from Bernbaum and a jumper by sophomore guard
Sydnee Smith (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) to push the Scots' lead up to 19, 59-40. Carleton came as close as 12 points with two minutes left, but it was not enough to prevent Macalester from winning its second straight MIAC game.
The Scots held a significant advantage in rebounding, 51-30 and forced 21 Carleton turnovers while committing 14. Starks registered her second double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds to go with four assists and three steals. Norquist also had a double-double, her third of the season, tallying 13 points and 11 boards while blocking three shots. Daley dished out a career-best nine assists to go with eight points and eight rebounds and flirt with a triple-double. Bernbaum matched her career high with nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range. Whitney led all players with 23 points.
Macalester returns to action on Jan. 4 with a game at St. Scholastica. The MIAC contest begins at 3:00 p.m. in Duluth, Minn.
