WINONA, Minn. - The Saint Mary's women's basketball team (8-7) hosted St. Olaf (6-10) for a late-night conference game on Wednesday, and received contributions from every player in their 71-54 victory!
 
Tonight's game was a complete team effort for the Cardinals, with every player who hit the court making a contribution to the win and 10 different Cardinals had scored.

Brianna Nusbaum was a standout for the Cardinals, finishing with 16 points, four steals, five assists, and seven field goals made. Lindsey Lettner added to the effort with three three-pointers, totaling 11 points. Rylie Sternquist was efficient, scoring 12 points on six made shots and pulling down five rebounds. Kali Olson made her presence felt on defense with two blocks and two steals, while also contributing seven rebounds and eight points.

The first quarter between the Cardinals and the Oles ended in a 17-17 tie, with the opening minutes featuring a back-and-forth of layups. Sternquist put up a couple for the Cardinals, while Nusbaum and Julia Koch added a layup and a three-pointer, respectively. An Oles three kept the game tight, and both teams took advantage of turnovers. With 1:30 left, Lettner hit a key three-pointer to even the score.

Saint Mary's began the second quarter with a strong offensive performance, scoring 22 points compared to St. Olaf's nine. Sternquist and Nusbaum set the tone early with successful layups, contributing to a 6-0 run. Emma Mann added to the lead with a layup at 7:28, followed by a fast-break layup from Nusbaum which prompted a timeout from St. Olaf. 

St. Olaf had difficulty on offense, missing several free throws and layups. The quarter ended with another fast-break layup from Nusbaum, extending the Cardinals lead and showcasing their defensive intensity. The Cardinals pressure led to multiple steals and turnovers by the Oles, leaving the halftime score at 39-26.

Early in the third quarter, both teams struggled with turnovers, including a steal by Joy Brandenstein of St. Olaf followed by her own turnover. Around the 7:30 mark, Olson of the Cardinals scored two consecutive free throws, extending their lead to 41-28. In the latter stages, Olson continued to be effective, contributing a defensive rebound and a jumper, which pushed their lead to 51-36. 
Nusbaum continued to excel scoring a jumper and a three-pointer, helping to extend their lead to 56-41 in the fourth quarter. Lettner contributed with her third three-pointer at 6:30, increasing the Cardinals advantage further.

Despite a few turnovers, the Cardinals maintained control, with Victoria Marial scoring two consecutive layups from teammate Maggie Newhouse late in the quarter.

Cardinals secured a 71-54 victory with consistent scoring and key defensive rebounds.

The team returns to action this Saturday, traveling to Saint Benedict for a 1 p.m. tip-off.