ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College women's basketball team used stifling defense and a fourth-quarter comeback to beat St. Olaf College, 51-50 in a MIAC game Saturday afternoon in the Leonard Center. The Scots improve to 2-16 overall and 1-11 in conference play, while the Oles (5-14) remain winless in the MIAC with an 0-12 mark in league play.

A three-pointer by junior guard Sydnee Smith (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) helped Macalester get out to a 12-7 lead over the first 6:34 of the game. St. Olaf responded by closing out the first quarter on an 11-2 run, capped by a three from Joy Brandenstein that made the score 18-14 Oles. Five points from Smith early in the second quarter brought the Scots to within one, only to have St. Olaf extend its lead to 24-19 midway through the quarter.

Macalester caught fire over the final five minutes, with a layup by sophomore forward Cady Davis (Minneapolis, Minn./Roosevelt), three free throws from first year Faith Accardo (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Oaks Christian) and another three from Smith gave the Scots a 27-24 lead. St. Olaf scored down the stretch to make the halftime score 27-26 Macalester. Smith tallied 11 points in the first half.

After the Oles tied the score at 29-29 two minutes into the second half, a basket by Smith and two driving layups from junior guard Mary Daley (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan) gave the Scots a 35-29 advantage. St. Olaf again tied the score at 35-35, but two Davis free throws and buckets from Daley and Smith restored the six-point lead, 41-35. At the end of the quarter, the Oles scored a pair of baskets to make it a two-point game, 41-39 heading into the fourth.

Momentum stayed with the visitors, as St. Olaf tallied the first eight points of the final quarter to lead, 47-41 with 8:44 to play. Daley scored on another layup, then Davis made back-to-back baskets to tie the score at 47-47 with 4:36 remaining. Both teams came up empty on their next two offensive possessions before Brandenstein made a layup that put the Oles ahead, 49-47 with 2:31 to play.

With under two minutes left, Daley grabbed a defensive rebound, raced down the court and scored on a layup over a defender to tie the score at 49-49. After another defensive stop by the Scots, Davis was fouled and made both free throws for a 51-49 lead with one minute on the clock. At the other end, Elise Hahn was fouled and made her first free throw. The second was off the mark, and Davis corralled the miss for Macalester. A Scots' missed three on the next possession gave the ball back to St. Olaf with 11 seconds remaining. Again the Macalester defense held, as the Oles missed a pair of shots with time winding down to give the Scots their first victory since Nov. 22.

Macalester limited St. Olaf to just 3-of-16 (18.8 percent) shooting from the floor in the fourth quarter, while totaling 11 steals and six blocks for the game. Smith finished with 15 points, four rebounds and three blocks to lead the Scots. Daley tallied 12 of her 14 points in the second half while compiling five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Davis made it three players in double figures with 10 points, six rebounds and three steals. Senior forward Ellie Corbett (Austin, Texas/James Bowie) notched three blocks, and junior guard Kendall Bernbaum (Dallas, Texas/Shelton School) swiped two steals. Hahn scored 19 points to lead St. Olaf.

Macalester returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 4 with a home game against St. Scholastica. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. in the Leonard Center.