Game Summary

WINONA, Minn. — It wasn't a 22-point rout, like their 71-49 win the first time around.

And it may not have had quite the significance of the 38-game streak-ending triumph on Dec. 10.

But Saturday's 75-68 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over St. Thomas at the SMU Gym was just as sweet.

If not sweeter.

The Cardinals got a game-high 25 points from Ashley Luehmann (Lewiston, Minn.) and a double-double of 22 points and 13 rebounds from Jamie Rattunde (Rollingstone, Minn.), as SMU completed a season sweep of the Tommies for the first time since the 1984-85 season.

The Cardinals left little doubt of the outcome early, scoring 13 of the game's first 17 points — and they never looked back, building that lead to 13, 47-34, at halftime.

SMU shot a blistering 65 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, nailing 17 of 26 field goal attempts — including 6 of 10 from beyond the 3-point line — and added a 7-for-9 performance from the free throw line. Rattunde — who has now scored 20 or more points in six straight games — netted 14 of her 22 points in the first half, while Luehmann tallied 13 of her 25.

Things cooled off a bit for the Cardinals in the second half, as they managed just eight field goals. The Tommies took advantage of SMU's second-half struggles, cutting the Cardinals' lead to two, 57-55, on a basket by Kristi Huegel with 8:19 left, then knotted the game at 60-60 on a free throw by Erica Opdahl.

That was as close as the Cardinals would let St. Thomas get, however, as they scored 15 of the game's final 23 points to seal their fourth straight victory.

Angie Arrington (Spring Grove, Minn.) chipped in 11 points for the Cardinals, who moved to 11-4 in the MIAC and 12-6 overall, while Kate Wiberg's 20 points led the way for the Tommies (8-7 MIAC, 9-9 overall).