WINONA, Minn. — There's something about playing Hamline that brings out the best in Molly O'Toole (Plymouth, Minn.).
 
For the second time in as many meetings with the Pipers, O'Toole poured in a career high 23 points Wednesday night—and the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team needed every one of them.
 
Fueled by O'Toole's second career-best effort vs. the Pipers this season—capped by a pair of win-clinching free throws with 2.5 seconds remaining in regulation—the Cardinals held off Hamline for a 68-65 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory.
 
O'Toole—who also netted 23 points in the teams' first meeting on Dec. 3—was at her best in the game's opening 20 minutes, as the freshman scored 19 of her game-high 23 points—including 12 in a 17-2 Saint Mary's run that gave the Cardinals a 32-24 lead late in the half.
 
The Cardinals would settle for a 34-30 halftime advantage, and found themselves staring at a 37-34 hole as Hamline opened the second half on a 7-0 run.
 
The Pipers would build their lead to as many as nine, 48-39, but the Cardinals had an answer, knotting the game at 50-50 on a Shelby Auseth (Wanamingo, Minn.) 3-pointer with 9:20 on the clock.
 
Saint Mary's pushed its lead to seven, 66-59, but six straight points by HU made it a one-point game, 66-65, with one minute remaining.
 
After a couple of empty Saint Mary's possessions, the Pipers had a chance to take the lead late, but Jordan Sammons' jumper with six seconds remaining failed to fall and O'Toole grabbed the all-important defensive rebound, was fouled, and converted the two free throws to seal the Cardinals' sixth straight victory.
 
O'Toole knocked down 8 of her 17 field goal attempts—including a pair of 2-pointers—while also going 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Emma Schaefer (Falcon Heights, Minn.) also scored in double figures for the Cardinals, finishing with 10 points, while also dishing out a career-best seven assists.
 
Sammons scored a team-best 22 points for the Pipers, who hit on just 26 of 78 field goal attempts (33 percent), and were just 6-for-28 from behind the 3-point line.
 
The Cardinals (8-3 MIAC, 14-4 overall) are back in action on Saturday, traveling to Bethel's Robertson Center in Arden Hills, Minn., for a 1 p.m. conference rematch against the Royals.

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