MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Saint Mary's University women's basketball coach
Mandy Pearson probably would love to be able to re-write a few chapters in this season's “novel,” and the Cardinal head coach would probably start with the ending.
Fueled by the hot hands of
Jessica Thone (Woodbury, Minn.) and
Jess Miller (Carver, Minn.), the Cardinals raced out to a comfortable nine-point, 42-33 halftime advantage, but Augsburg turned the tables in the game's final 20 minutes, outscoring SMU 36-25 — including a game-winning jumper by Serenae Levine with three seconds remaining in regulation — in handing Saint Mary's a 69-67 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory Friday.
Thone and Miller combined for half of the Cardinals' 42 first-half points, as Thone knocked down three 3-pointers on her way to her 11 first-half points, while Miller drilled 5 of 11 field goals and finished the game's opening 20 minutes with 10 points.
Fueled by the duo's Midas touch, the Cardinals raced out to a nine-point, 42-33 halftime advantage, and SMU continued to keep its foot on the gas to open the second half, boasting a 10-point, 45-35 lead with 10:10 remaining.
The Auggies clawed back to take its first lead of the half, 63-62, on a 3-pointer by Tracee Schrank. SMU answered with a three-point play by Miller to regain the lead, 65-63, but two free throws from Levine and a fastbreak basket by Lexi Thompson gave Augsburg a 67-65 lead with 18 seconds on the clock.
Cherie Kulig (Independence, Wis.) drained a pair of free throws to tie the game again, 67-67, setting up Levine's buzzer-beater.
Miller finished with a team-high 18 points for the Cardinals, while Thone chipped in 13.
Kim Kaminski (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Kulig also scored in double figures for SMU, netting 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Cardinals close out their season with a 4-17 mark in conference play, while ending 5-20 overall.
