Box Score  | GameDay Preview

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — If there's one thing Saint Mary's University women's basketball coach Mandy Pearson was thankful for after the first half of Saturday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against Augsburg, it was that there was a second half.

After scoring just 18 points in the game's opening 20 minutes, the Cardinals erupted for 39 points after the break en route to a 57-49 conference win over the Auggies at Si Melby Hall.

After making just 6 of 21 shots from the field in the first half, the Cardinals found their shooting touch in the game's second half, shooting a blistering 65 percent — knocking down 13 of 20 field-goal attempts, including a pair of 3-pointers — in pulling away from the Auggies and recording their third straight win.

Leading by just two, 45-43, with 4:44 remaining, the Cardinals used a 9-2 run over the next three minutes to seal the victory.

Courtney Euerle (Hutchinson, Minn.) led the way for the Cardinals, scoring 14 points — including 12 in the second half. Jessica Thone (Woodbury, Minn.) — who recorded her first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds in SMU's win over Bethel on Wednesday — also had a big second half against the Auggies, netting nine of her 13 points. Brittany Begrowicz (Des Plaines, Ill.) also finished in double figures for SMU, finishing with 11 points, including an 8-for-8 performance from the free throw line.

Serenae Levine finished with 10 points in the losing effort for Augsburg (4-6 MIAC, 7-6 overall).

The Cardinals (6-4 MIAC, 6-7 overall) return home on Monday, hosting Hamline in a 7:30 p.m. conference contest at the SMU Gym.