Game Summary

WINONA, Minn. — It wasn't exactly the way the Saint Mary's University women's basketball team was hoping to go into the MIAC playoffs.

The Cardinals dropped their third straight game Saturday afternoon, shooting just 28 percent in the second half as St. Benedict broke open a five-point halftime advantage, outscoring SMU 30-21 over the final 20 minutes en route to a 70-56 victory in the final regular-season game for both teams.

SMU, which fell to 11-11 in the conference and 13-12 overall, finished with the No. 5 seed in the six-team conference playoffs and will travel to No. 4 seed Gustavus for an opening-round game on Monday.

Jamie Rattunde (Rollingstone, Minn.) led four SMU players in double figures, scoring 14 points. Jaimie Lee (Eden Prairie, Minn.) tallied 12 points and Amy Burns (Winona, Minn.) and Alissa Erichsen (Spring Valley, Minn.) — two of four seniors playing in their final home game — each chipped in 11 points.

Ashley Brown tallied a game-high 20 points and Michelle Barlau finished with 15 for the Blazers (19-3 MIAC, 22-3 overall), who locked up a share of the regular-season conference championship.

The Cardinals trailed by just five, 40-35, after the game's opening 20 minutes, but SMU could not match the Blazers in the second half, as the Cardinals netted just 6 of 21 field goals in the second half.