Game Summary vs. Macalester / GameDay Online / Photo Gallery

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's basketball team probably won't get too many style points for their performance against Macalester Wednesday evening at the SMU Gym.

But if the final scores reads in the Cardinals' favor, SMU coach Mandy Pearson isn't going to worry too much about a few style points.

The Cardinals rebounded from an ice-cold opening 11 minutes to grab a 31-25 halftime lead and cruised to a 59-50 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over the Scots.

It was almost as if someone had placed a clear plastic lead over the basket in the game's opening 11 minutes, as SMU made just one of its first eight field goals attempts, hit just two of their 11 and three of their first 14 — all three baskets scored by Cherie Kulig (Independence, Wis.).

Fortunately for the Cardinals, the Scots' basket was also covered, as Macalester opened 2-for-14 from the field and held a 15-11 advantage with 7:13 remaining in the first half.

From there, however, the Cardinals' lid was lifted, as they drained seven of their next eight field goal attempts — including four 3-pointers, two by Emily DeWitt (Lino Lakes, Minn.) and one each from Jesa Hall (Glenwood City, Wis.) and Jess Miller (Carver, Minn.) — to turn that four-point deficit into a 10-point, 25-15 cushion.

The Cardinals would never trail again — or be challenged — building their lead to as many as 13, 54-41 on a DeWitt layup with 4:41 remaining, before settling for the nine-point victory.

Kulig finished with a team-high 17 points for the Cardinals, who won for the second time in their last three games. Jessica Rene netted 15 points and Ann Baltzer added 11 in the losing effort for Macalester.

The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday, playing host to Bethel in a 1 p.m. conference game at the SMU Gym. The Royals handed SMU a 77-60 setback in the teams' first meeting on Dec. 6 in Arden Hills, Minn.