WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule makers have not been kind to the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team this week.
 
On Wednesday, the Cardinals entertained Bethel, a team that entered its showdown with Saint Mary's unbeaten in conference play and riding a five-game winning streak—and exited with its third straight MIAC win and a six-game winning streak.
 
Three days later, the Cardinals were back on their home court, this time squaring off against Gustavus, a team that was riding a season-opening eight-game winning streak—with all eight wins by double figures, including six victories by 20 or more points.
 
There would be no ninth straight double-figure win.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, there would be a ninth consecutive win, however, as the Gusties used a 10-7 run over the game's final 10 minutes in dealing Saint Mary's a 49-45 conference setback at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The first half was a rollercoaster of momentum for the Cardinals, who turned the ball over on their first two possessions to fall behind 4-0 early. A 15-4 run, however, gave Saint Mary's its largest lead of the half, 15-8. The Gusties answered with five straight baskets to end the quarter, whittling the Cardinals' lead to two, 15-13, after the opening 10 minutes.
 
Quarter No. 2 was more of the same, as Saint Mary's led by four three separate occasions, only to have Hannah Howard knock down a jumper with 3:27 remaining to pull the Gusties even—and ignite an 8-5 half-ending run that gave Gustavus a one-point, 27-26, lead at the halftime break.
 
Both teams had the upper hand in the third quarter, with Saint Mary's owning a one-point, 34-33 advantage, while the Gusties boasted a pair of five-point leads—the second at 39-34. The Cardinals answered with four straight free throws—two by Emma Schaefer (Roseville, Minn.) and two by Natalie Ruegsegger (Billings, Mont.) to cut the deficit to one, 39-38 heading into the final quarter.
 
Saint Mary's scored the first six points of the final quarter—sandwiching a pair of Sam Jones (White Bear Lake, Minn.) baskets around a bucket by Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.)—to grab its biggest lead of the game, 44-39 midway through the frame.
 
From there however, it was all Gustavus, as the Gusties scored five unanswered points to knot the game at 44-44, before outscoring the Cardinals 5-1 down the stretch to seal the four-point win.
 
Blattner finished with a team-high 11 points and added 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season, while Brigette Audette (Big Lake, Minn.) added eight points and Schaefer finished with seven.
 
Miranda Rice netted a game-high 15 points to lead three Gusties in double figures, with Mikayla Miller and Hannah Howard each finishing with 12.
 
The Cardinals (2-2 MIAC, 6-3 overall) are right back on their home court on Sunday, entertaining UW-Eau Claire in a 3 p.m. nonconference matchup at the Saint Mary's Gym.