Blazers reach Sweet 16 77-71

By Jamie Knapp
Special to the Times

STORM LAKE, Iowa — The height advantage that the College of St. Benedict enjoyed didn't have a dominating effect on the Blazers' NCAA Division III tournament matchup against Buena Vista (Iowa) Saturday night, but it made an impact nonetheless.

St. Benedict's inside players were constantly double and triple-teamed, which meant someone on the perimeter was left open. The Blazers guards stepped up to the challenge, matching one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the nation, to come away with a 77-71 win over 14th-ranked Buena Vista in a second round game at Siebens Fieldhouse.

With the win, St. Benedict (24-4 overall) advances to sectional play where it will face George Fox (Ore.) on Friday at a site as yet to be determined. George Fox beat Chapman (Calif.) 86-55 on Saturday.

The Beavers, who won the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season title, finished their season 25-3 overall.

"I didn't think we had as many open looks at the basket," said Blazers senior post Kim Johnson, who finished with 11 rebounds to give her a career total of 910. "We were double and triple teamed, and it left the weak side wide open. That's when we need our one and two guards to step up."

They did just that. Sophomore Darby Noreen led St. Benedict with 17 points and five assists. Classmate Katie Kempe contributed 15 points. Junior post Anna Heikenen had 14 points and six rebounds, 13 of her points coming in the second half. St. Benedict went 9-for-19 shots from beyond 3-point line, including a 5 of 10 performance in the first half that helped the Blazers stay in the game.

Junior wing Justine Richels had three big first-half 3-pointers. The Beavers led 36-32 at halftime.

St. Benedict coach Mike Durbin said his team made some adjustments to start the second half. "We wanted to go off the dribble offensively because our post play was taken away," said Durbin, whose team is back in the round of 16 for the first time since finishing second in the nation in 1999. "We needed to spread the floor and take it to the basket. Their preparation to take away our post play was successful, so it was important to match their 3-point shooting."

The Blazers rallied to take a 54-49 lead with 9:49 left in the second half on a 3-pointer by Noreen. Another 3-point shot by Johnson gave the Blazers a 66-59 advantage with 5:27 remaining.

Buena Vista rallied to pull within one of the lead, at 72-71 on two free throws by junior guard Katie Maguire with 1:06 left on the clock. Maguire, this season's IIAC MVP, finished with 14 points, tying her with teammate Tracy Hartwig for the team lead.

But Heikenen made four free throws in the final 12 seconds to seal it.

"I would say our second half we just had a gutsy effort trying to hang in there," Durbin said. "I'm sure BV feels like they just ran out of time. If there was any difference, I don't think we got in an offensive set in the second half. When we started to get some movement, it created open lanes and we were able to hit some huge threes."

Durbin likes how his team is coming together at the right moment. The Blazers have won nine games in a row. "We have really become a team in a true sense of the word in the last two to three weeks," Durbin said. "That was never more evident than tonight. We were fortunate to be in the game in the first half if it weren't for (Richels') 3-point shooting."

St. Benedict was 24-for-51 (47,1 percent) from the field. Buena Vista was 21-for-54 (38.9 percent). Each team was 20 of 24 from the free throw line. Despite being at a height disadvantage, the Beavers outrebounded the Blazers 34-31.

ST. BENEDICT (77) Darby Noreen 6-10 3-4 17 (5 rebounds, 2 steals), Jen Dalhed 1-2 0-0 3 (2 assists), Katie Kempe 3-7 8-8 15 (2 rebounds), Anna Heikenen 3-9 8-10 14 (6 rebounds), Kim Johnson 4-7 0-0 10 (11 rebounds), Laura Zwach 1-1 0-0 2 (3 assists), Tara Schloe 2-5 0-0 4 (5 rebounds, 2 steals), Justine Richels 3-6 0-0 9, Ellie Boone 1-4 1-2 3 (3 rebounds, 2 assists). Totals: FG 24-51, FT 20-24, REB 31, TO 15, PF 22.

BUENA VISTA (71) Katie Maguire 3-14 6-7 14 (6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals), Megan Holtorf 1-3 0-0 2 (5 rebounds), Kelli Staley 1-1 5-6 8 (5 rebounds, 4 assists), Jess Griggs 2-7 3-4 8 (3 rebounds), Kristina Kapler 5-14 2-3 12 (5 rebounds, 2 steals), Lindsey Meyer 4-5 0-0 11, Tracy Hartwig 4-8 4-4 14 (4 rebounds), Melissa Putney 0-0 0-0 0, Penni Heitman 1-2 0-0 2 (3 rebounds). Totals: FG 21-54, FT 20-24, REB 34, TO 15, PF 17.

3-point goals: SB — 9-19 (Kempe 1-4, Dalhed 1-1, Noreen 2-4, Heikenen 0-1, Johnson 2-4, Richels 3-5); BV — 9-21 (Maguire 2-10, Staley 1-1, Griggs 1-3, Meyer 3-3, Hartwig 2-4); Fouled out: none; Technical fouls: none; Deadball rebounds: SB 1, BV 2; Bench points: SB 18, BV 27; Attendance: 1,100; Halftime score: BV 36, SB 32. Printed from the St. Cloud Times web site www.sctimes.com

Athletic Department
College of Saint Benedict
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St. Joseph, MN 56374
320-363-5301
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