ST. PAUL, Minn. – A 25-point fourth quarter lifted the Macalester College women's basketball team to a 69-54 victory over Augsburg University in a MIAC game Saturday afternoon in the Leonard Center. The win gives the Scots an overall record of 9-8, including a 4-6 mark in conference play. The Auggies drop to 3-14, 1-9 MIAC.
In the first quarter, Macalester held Augsburg to just three field goals in 16 attempts to lead, 18-11 after 10 minutes. Senior forward
Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep) tallied eight points to lead the offense. The second quarter was more of the same, as the Auggies made just 2-of-13 from the field. Macalester wasn't much better, shooting 3-of-15 from the floor in the quarter, but five made free throws helped the Scots outscore Augsburg, 12-6 in the quarter to take a 30-17 lead into halftime.
The Auggies cut into the Scots' lead by scoring the first seven points of the third quarter to make the score 30-24 at the seven-minute mark. Later in the quarter, Augsburg came as close as five points twice before a basket by sophomore guard
Sydney Smith (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) and two free throws from Norquist pushed the lead up to nine, 42-33 with 1:43 left in the quarter. A late three from Amira LaDuke made the score 44-38 Scots heading into the final quarter.
Early in the fourth, momentum stayed with the Auggies, as a three-pointer by Lani Fonoti brought Augsburg to within three, 48-45 with 8:32 to play. Macalester responded in a big way by scoring the next 11 points, including five from sophomore guard
Mary Daley (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan) and four from senior guard
Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School), to take a commanding 59-45 advantage with 5:38 remaining. The Scots were able to increase their lead to as many as 19 before the Auggies tallied the final two baskets of the game to make the final score 69-54 Macalester. Daley scored nine points and Smith had eight, as the Scots shot 50.0 percent (8-of-16) from the field in the fourth quarter.
The Scots scored 18 points off 17 Augsburg turnovers while committing a season-low eight miscues of their own. Norquist was a menace on both ends of the court, with 17 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocks to lead Macalester. Starks tallied 17 points and eight rebounds, while Daley finished with a career-high 15 points to go with six rebounds. Smith contributed 12 points to help the Scots complete the season sweep of Augsburg. Fonoti finished with 17 points for the Auggies.
Macalester returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 29 with a game at Gustavus. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in St. peter, Minn.
