Game Summary / Photo Gallery / Video Highlights / GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn. — It wasn't what Mandy Pearson expected.

Not with the playoffs on the line, and not on its home court.

But for whatever reason, her Saint Mary's University women's basketball team never could find its grove Wednesday evening.

The Cardinals shot just 26 percent from the field as they fell 56-47 in overtime to St. Olaf at the SMU Gym.

“This just makes things a lot tougher on us,” said Pearson, whose Cardinals fell from the sixth and final MIAC playoff spot to eighth in the conference standings with four games left in the regular season. “But we have to come together and work together, because we have opportunities left that we need to take advantage of.”

Despite the struggles offensively, the Cardinals still had plenty of chances to win.

SMU led 40-35 with 2 minutes, 48 seconds remaining, but St. Olaf (11-11, 8-11) came back to tie the game.

SMU had the ball with 17 seconds left, but a Cardinal turnover gave the ball back to the Oles with three seconds left. St. Olaf's Jess Wilson inbounded, and threw the ball the length of the floor and hit Eileen O'Donoghue at the free throw line. O'Donoghue then turned and threw a perfect bounce pass to Kirstee Rotty who was streaking toward the hoop.

Rotty, however, missed the uncontested layup as the buzzer sounded sending the game into overtime.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the overtime belonged to St. Olaf.

Mackenzie Wolter knocked down a 3-pointer on the Oles' first possession, and they went on to outscore SMU 16-7 in the five-minute extra frame.

“Part of it was an effort thing tonight,” Pearson said. “We just let them get too many offensive boards.”

Courtney Euerle (Litchfield, Minn.) led the way for the Cardinals, scoring 11 points, while Cherie Kulig (Independence, Wis.) chipped in 10. Terin Euerle led a trio of Oles in doubles figures with a game-high 14 points.

The Cardinals (8-10 MIAC, 10-11 overall) are back in action on Saturday, when they host Carleton on Senior Day. SMU will honor graduating seniors Kulig, Jess Miller (Carver, Minn.) and Kim Kaminski (Milwaukee, Wis.) prior to the 1 p.m. tipoff.