WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's basketball team completes a busy week on Saturday, as the Cardinals play their third game in six days, hosting Bethel in a 3 p.m. MIAC contest at the SMU Gym.



The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (2-2 MIAC | 2-3 Overall)
vs. Bethel Royals  (4-0 MIAC | 6-1 Overall)

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Last Action:
The Cardinals rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit, and let Concordia 61-59 with 1:49 remaining in regulation, only to have the Cobbers score the game's final four points — the game-winning bucket coming with five seconds on the clock — as the Cobbers handed SMU a 63-61 conference setback Wednesday at Memorial Auditorium in Moorhead, Minn. … Bethel, meanwhile, continued its winning ways in conference play, edging Carleton 52-51 in overtime Wednesday evening in Northfield, Minn.

SMU vs. Bethel — A Year Ago:
December 6, 2010: The Cardinals' conference-opening run hit a brick wall against the Royals, as Bethel handed the Cardinals their first MIAC loss of the season, a 60-48 decision at Robertson Center in Arden Hills, Minn.
January 26, 2011: Cherie Kulig sparked a game-ending 15-5 run with seven straight points that helped SMU hold off Bethel en route to a 61-47 MIAC victory at the SMU Gym.

Up Next:
The Cardinals step out of conference play on Wednesday, as they host UW-La Crosse in a 5:30 p.m. nonconference game at the SMU Gym. … Saturday's game at Saint Mary's is the final game of 2011 for Bethel, which does not return to action until Jan. 2, when the Royals host Concordia in a 7:30 p.m. game in Arden Hills, Minn.

Saint Mary's Cardinals News and Notes:
2011-12 Roster | 2011-12 Statistics | 2011-12 Schedule | 2011-12 Media Guide
Saturday's game against Bethel is the fourth home game of the season for the Cardinals, who play six of their first eight games on their home court. … SMU entered the second half vs. Concordia Wednesday down 40-25, marking the first time this season the Cardinals have trailed at halftime. … Jessica Thone (Woodbury, Minn.) netted a season-high 23 points against Concordia Wednesday. It was the fourth time in her career that Thone has scored 20 or more points, and was four points shy of her career-best 27 points scored against Carleton on Jan. 4, 2010. … Jamie Stefely (Lisle, Ill.) recorded her second double-double of the season — and fifth of her career — vs. the Cobbers Wednesday, netting 12 points and added 13 rebounds. … Stefely has now scored in double figures in four straight games. … Courtney Euerle (Litchfield, Minn.), coming off her second double-double of the season with career-highs of 17 points and 13 rebounds vs. Saint Benedict on Monday, chipped in 13 points against Concordia — all coming the second half. … Euerle and Stefely each notched their first double-doubles of the season in SMU's 58-57 conference-opening win over Carleton on Nov. 30, marking SMU's first double, double-double since Stefely and Thone hit double figures in both points and rebounds against Macalester on Dec. 4, 2010. … SMU enters Saturday's game against Bethel boasting three players averaging in double figures — Thone (12.8 ppg), Euerle (11.0 ppg) and Stefely (10.8 ppg). … Stefely also leads the team in rebounds with 50 (10.0 rpg). … SMU's 17 free throws made and 21 free throws attempted vs. Concordia were both season highs. … SMU's 61-point effort vs. Concordia was three points shy of their season-high 64 points scored against St. Olaf on Dec. 3. … The Cardinals' 54-50 win over Saint Benedict on Monday was SMU's first win over the Blazers under coach Mandy Pearson. … Monday's win also snapped the Cardinals' 10-game losing streak against the Blazers, dating back to a 61-54 victory on Feb. 7, 2005. … Euerle and Stefely accounted for 33 of the team's 54 points vs. the Blazers Monday. … Saint Benedict's 50 points were the fewest allowed by the Cardinals this season. … SMU's 58-57 win over Carleton last Wednesday marked the second straight year the Cardinals have opened conference play with a win. SMU beat Augsburg 57-44 in its MIAC opener a year ago. … Eight of SMU's last 13 wins have come at home — the Cardinals finished 6-6 at the SMU Gym a year ago.

Bethel Royals News and Notes:
2011-12 Roster | 2011-12 Statistics | 2011-12 Schedule
After opening the season with a 57-43 loss to Wisconsin Lutheran in Milwaukee, Wis., the Royals have now won six straight. … The Royals' 4-0 conference start is their first since going 4-0 to open the 1995-96 MIAC season. … Bethel's margin of victory during its current six-game winning streak has been nearly 14 ppg. … Saturday's game at Saint Mary's is the Royals' seventh road contest in eight games. … Taylor Sheley scored a team-high 19 points vs. Carleton Wednesday, while Kelly Swenson also hit in double figures with 10 points vs. the Knights. … Sheley accounted for three of the team's four 3-pointers vs. Carleton Wednesday. … Sheley, who has led the team in scoring in each of its first seven games, enters Saturday's contest at Saint Mary's with a team-high 19.4 ppg scoring average. … Sheley netted a season-high 27 points in Bethel's 72-46 victory over Nebraska Wesleyan on Nov. 19, and added her second 20-plus outing with 26 points against Augsburg in a 66-57 win on Dec. 5. … As a team, Bethel has scored a season-high 72 points twice (vs. Nebraska Wesleyan and vs. St. Catherine) and enters Saturday's game at Saint Mary's averaging xx.xx ppg.