Box Score  | Photo Gallery | GameDay Preivew

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's basketball team wrote the perfect ending to a storybook game Monday evening.

The Cardinals, trailing perennial Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference powerhouse Saint Benedict by four points with one minute remaining in regulation, scored the game's final seven points to hand the Blazers a 54-50 conference setback at the SMU Gym.

A win that not only pushed the Cardinals' record to 2-1 in conference play — but also snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Blazers, dating back to a 61-54 SMU win on Feb. 7, 2005.

“That was a fun game,” said SMU coach Mandy Pearson. “We didn't shoot the ball from the outside as well as I would have liked, and we turned the ball over too many times, but we did a great job of making the necessary plays on offense — and defense — to get the job done.

“This was a big win for us,” Pearson added. “It was just a great team effort.”

The first half was a see-saw affair, with neither team leading by more than four points — while the game was also tied on four different occasions, the final time at 26-26 with 1:06 remaining on the clock. Jessica Thone (Woodbury, Minn.) gave SMU a two-point advantage heading into the locker room, draining a jumper at the buzzer for a 28-26 Cardinal advantage.

SMU appeared to be in complete control early in the second half, outscoring the Blazers 11-6 in the first 10 minutes to take a 39-32 lead. Over the next six minutes, however, the Blazers found their shooting touch, using an 18-7 run to take a 49-46 lead with 1:09 remaining.

Thone knocked down a free throw to make it a three-point game, and after forcing a CSB turnover, Thone drained a 3-pointer from the left side to tie the game at 50-50. Courtney Euerle — who knocked down the game-winning free throw in SMU's 58-57 conference-opening win over Carleton last Wednesday — iced Monday's win with four straight free throws for the final, four-point Cardinal advantage.

Euerle collected her second double-double in three conference games, scoring a career-high 17 points, while adding 11 rebounds. Jamie Stefely (Lisle, Ill.) chipped in 16 points and eight boards, with Thone chipping in nine points.

Whitney Canton netted 17 points and Brianna Barrett added 10 for the Blazers (1-2 MIAC, 4-2 overall).

The Cardinals (2-1 MIAC, 2-2 overall) don't have long to celebrate the streak-snapping win, as they hit the road on Wednesday, traveling to Moorhead, Minn., for a 5:45 MIAC matchup against Concordia.