By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's basketball team put three players in double figures — led by Brooklyn Paulson's (Holmen, Wis.) game-high 17 points — as the Cardinals rolled to a 98-64 exhibition win over Western Technical College Monday evening at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The first half started with a Paulson 3-pointer and ended with another Paulson 3-pointer — and in between, the Cardinals outscored the Cavaliers 44-34 in grabbing a commanding 16-point, 50-34 halftime advantage.
 
The Cardinals built a pair of early 10-point leads in the game's first quarter, but had to settle for a seven-point, 25-18 advantage after 10 minutes of play.
 
Western Tech closed the gap to two, 27-25 with seven minutes remaining in the half, but the Cardinals responded, scoring eight unanswered points as part of a 23-9 half-ending run and the 16-point cushion heading into the break.
 
And as good as the Cardinals were in the first half, they were even better in the second, breaking the game open with a 14-0 run as part of a 31-point third quarter in pushing their lead to 81-47 heading into the fourth quarter — a quarter in which both teams scored 17 points en route to the 98-64 final.
 
Along with Paulson's 17 points, the Cardinals — who shot 44 percent from the field and knocked down 16 3-pointers — also got 11 points from both Jada Biermeier (Eau Claire, Wis.) and Ashley Streveler (Colby, Wis.).  Saint Mary's had seven players drain at least one 3-pointer — including five from Paulson and three each from Streveler and Maggie Robertson).
 
The Cardinals kick off Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Saturday, entertaining St. Olaf in a 3 p.m. matchup at the Saint Mary's Gym. The Cavaliers (4-1 overall), meanwhile, return home to La Crosse, Wis., for a 6 p.m. contest at Luther.