Blazers knock off Cobbers, 77-73

St. Cloud Times Feb. 24, 2005

by Heath Hotzler, Special to the Times

A seven-point halftime deficit isn't necessarily equivalent to being behind three-games-to-none in the American League Championship Series.

However, St. Benedict women's basketball coach Mike Durbin saw the opportunity Wednesday night and he took it.

"At halftime, I told the team to look at the Boston Red Sox," Durbin said. "All I wanted was a team that never quit, just like when the Red Sox were down 3-0 to the Yankees. That's all I asked for."

Durbin got his wish. The third-seeded Blazers erased a nine-point, second-half deficit en route to a 77-73 MIAC tournament semifinal victory against No. 2 seed Concordia at Memorial Auditorium.

The Blazers (21-4) will face top-seeded Carleton (19-5) for the MIAC tournament title at 3 p.m. Saturday at the West Gym in Northfield. The Knights defeated No. 4 seed St. Mary's 67-51 in Wednesday's other semifinal.

The St. Benedict victory snapped the Cobbers' 15-game winning streak and denied Concordia a berth in a second-consecutive MIAC championship game.

"I think the speech worked," said Blazers junior forward Anna Heikenen, who scored 19 points and crossed the 1,000-point mark scoring in her collegiate career (counting the points she scored at Winona State before transferring during her freshman season).

The Cobbers had a 57-48 edge with 11: 41 remaining, but St. Benedict used a 7-0 run to close the gap. The Blazers used a steady dose of Heikenen and post Kim Johnson down the stretch to wear down Concordia defenders.

Heikenen, who averaged 20.5 points during two regular-season games against the Cobbers, also finished with six rebounds.

The 5-foot-11 junior from Edina poured in 15 points during the second half, including seven in the final five minutes.

"We had nothing to lose," Heikenen said. "We knew we were a good team and that we didn't deserve to be done."

Cobber senior guard Mandy Pearson — who finished with 25 points, eight assists and five steals — tied the game at 73-73 with a pair of free throws with 2:05 remaining. However, Concordia couldn't find the basket down the stretch, failing to score for the rest of the game.

The Blazers, meanwhile, did just enough. Sophomore wing Katie Kempe nailed a short baseline jumper to give St. Benedict a 75-73 lead, and the Blazers did not trail again. The victory avenged a 73-70 loss to the Cobbers in last season's MIAC semifinals at Claire Lynch Hall.

"We had it," said Pearson, an Eden Valley-Watkins graduate. "I guess everything went their way in the end and nothing seemed to go right for us."

The Blazers shot 58 percent in the second half. The Cobbers were 5 of 16 from beyond the 3-point arc.

"If you can win in Moorhead, you can win anywhere," said Durbin, whose team is back in the MIAC championship game for the first time since falling to Carleton in 2002. "This is definitely a tough place to play."

ST. BENEDICT (77)

Darby Noreen 0-7 4-6 4 (5 assists, 2 rebounds), Jen Dalhed 2-3 2-2 7 (2 assists), Katie Kempe 3-6 4-6 11 (2 rebounds), Anna Heikenen 8-12 13-17 29 (6 rebounds), Kim Johnson 3-4 2-3 8 (6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals), Laura Zwach 2-6 0-0 5 (4 assists), Tara Schloe 2-3 0-0 4 (3 rebounds), Justine Richels 0-5 0-0 0 (4 rebounds), Ellie Boone 4-4 1-1 9 (6 rebounds, 3 assists). Totals: FG 24-50, FT 26-35, REB 29, TO 12, PF 22.

CONCORDIA (73)

Mandy Pearson 7-22 10-10 25 (8 assists, 5 rebounds, 5 steals), Anne Keeley 2-7 2-2 7 (5 rebounds), Jamie Visness 5-11 2-2 14 (3 rebounds, 2 steals), Melanie Hageman 3-7 7-7 13 (7 rebounds), Tori Ehlert 2-4 0-0 4, Jessica Heintz 0-0 0-0 0, Karie Visness 1-1 0-0 3 (2 rebounds), Leanne White 0-1 0-0 0 (5 rebounds), Amanda Levos 1-2 3-5 5 (3 rebounds), Sarah Krabbenhoft 1-1 0-1 2 (3 rebounds). Totals: FG 22-56, FT 24-27, REB 34, TO 14, PF 24.

3-point goals: SB — 3-16 (Kempe 1-3, Dalhed 1-1, Noreen 0-3, Johnson 0-1, Zwach 1-4, Richels 0-4); C — 5-16 (Keeley 1-3, J. Visness 2-6, Pearson 1-6, K. Visness 1-1); Fouled out: SB — Dalhed; C — Ehlert; Technical fouls: SB — Schloe; C — none; Deadball rebounds: SB 3,1; C 4,1; Points off turnovers: SB 19, C 17; Points in the paint: SB 26, C 18; Second chance points: SB 11, C 11; Fast break points: SB none, C 6; Bench points: SB 18, C 10; Halftime score: C 37, SB 30.

Athletic Department
College of Saint Benedict
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320-363-5301
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