Game Summary

DECORAH, Iowa — It was the start the Saint Mary's University women's basketball team was hoping for — but it wasn't the finish.

The Cardinals raced out to a 32-24 halftime advantage, but managed just 29 second-half points, while Luther popped in 42 as the Knights rallied to beat SMU 66-61 in the opening round of the Luther Tip-Off Classic Friday evening.

Jamie Rattunde (Rollingstone, Minn.) picked up right where she left off a year ago, when she was named to the All-MIAC Freshman and Defensive teams, scoring 13 points and pulling down 10 reobunds. Jaimie Lee (Eden Prairie, Minn.) tallied a team-high 17 points for the Cardinals (0-1 overall), while Beth Walch (Altura, Minn.) chipped in 15 points.

Jenny Laursen scored a game-high 18 points, including 10 in the second half, to lead the way for Luther (1-0 overall), while Kelly Have and Jenni Boerger tallied 16 and 11 points, respectively.

SMU shot 42 percent from the field in the first half, hitting 11 of 26 field goals, while Luther managed just nine first-half field goals, but knocked down 15 of 25 from the field in the second half.