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MOORHEAD, Minn. — Jessica Thone (Woodbury, Minn.) scored 18 points and led four Cardinals in double figures, but it was not enough to overcome a sizzling Concordia first half, as the Cobbers handed the Saint Mary's University women's basketball team an 81-68 MIAC setback Monday afternoon.

Thone tossed in 10 of her team-best 18 points in the first half, while Jamie Stefely (Lisle, Ill.) and Darcey Rice (Eagan, Minn.) each chipped in 12 points and Courtney Euerle (Litchfield, Minn.) finished with 10 for the Cardinals.

Emily Thesing drained a 3-pointer on the Cobbers' first possession seven seconds into the game to give CC a 3-0 advantage — a lead they would not relinquish the entire game.

Concordia would push their first half lead to as many as 15, 37-22, with 3:20 remaining, before settling for a 37-25 cushion heading into the locker room at the break.

After struggling to find their shooting touch in the first half — hitting just 9 of 30 field goals — the Cardinals heated up in the second, shooting 54 percent (15-for-28) with five 3-pointers over the game's final 20 minutes.

It was not enough, however.

Over the game's final 20 minutes, SMU would close to within seven on three separate occasions — the last on a pair of free throws by Thone with just over 15 minutes remaining that made it 46-39 — but that was as close as the Cardinals would get.

The Cardinals (5-3 MIAC, 8-3 overall) are back in action on Wednesday, when they host Macalester in a 7:30 p.m. conference contest. It's the first home game since Dec. 3 for SMU, which has played its last six games on the road.