Northfield, Minn. –Linnea Engel (Jr./Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) scored a career-high 24 points as 10th-ranked Carleton College used a 13-4 second-half run to beat No. 9 Gustavus Adolphus College, 65-54, in the MIAC Playoff championship game in front of a standing-room only crowd of 1,600 at Carleton’s West Gym.
Beth Freeman (So./Richfield, Minn.) tallied 14 points and a career-best 12 rebounds off the bench for the Knights, who earned their third straight MIAC Playoff title and NCAA Tournament bid with the victory. Engel was 8-for-10 from the field, added 10 rebounds for her second career double-double, and tallied three assists and three steals. It was Beth Freeman’s first career double-double. Reserve Megan Vig (Fy./Northfield, Minn.) added 11 points for the Knights (25-2), who held a 36-16 edge on points in the paint. Carleton's bench owned a 28-10 scoring advantage.
"I just went with the flow of the game," Engel said afterwards. "Playing defense is always a big factor for me. I was just getting out there and getting some steals and bringing that to the offensive side."
Angie Peterson paced Gustavus (24-3) with 21 points, 16 in the first half, on 8-for-11 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three-point range, before fouling out with 3:23 remaining. The Gusties must await the NCAA’s announcement of the 50-team field on Sunday, March 2 at 8:30 p.m. to see if they'll be awarded one of the seven at-large berths. Lacy Skoog was also in double figures with 13 points.
"The biggest adjustment we made is that if they are going to play a physical game and the refs going to let it be played that way then we have to play physical, too," Carleton head coach Tammy Metcalf-Filzen said. "I thought our kids stepped up and did that. We needed to be a little more aware of where Angie Peterson was on the floor and settle down defensively. The first half she was tough and we just decided she wasn’t going to get the ball."
"It feels good to put a week like that behind you," Beth Freeman said, referring to her grandfather, former Minnesota governor Orville Freeman, whose funeral was yesterday. "I think I used basketball as an outlet and a place to put my emotions. I think having such a tough week gave me extra energy. I kind of feel like my Grandpa was looking out for me."
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Leading 41-38 with 12:35 remaining, Beth Freeman scored inside off a feed from Engel after a skip pass by Katie Freeman (So./Richfield, Minn.). Katie Freeman sprinted across the floor, stealing the ensuing inbounds pass, and hit Engel for the wide-open lay-up. A Skoog runner was followed by four chances for the Knights on one possession, as Vig finally connected on a three-pointer. Kelly Etzel answered with lay-up, but Engel scored on a three-point play and Carleton extended the lead to 54-42 with 7:59 remaining.
The Gusties tried to rally, outscoring Carleton 7-2 as Peterson’s baseline leaner made it 58-51 with 3:41 to go. The junior guard would commit her fifth personal on the next play, but the Gusties hung tough, getting within six at 59-53 with 1:46 left. Vig found Engel alone under the hoop on Carleton’s next possession, though, sealing the win for the Knights.
Carleton broke to an early 7-4 lead as the Gusties went without a field goal for the first 7:31 of the game. Peterson then came alive, drilling a pair of triples, and Skoog’s three-pointer gave the Gusties a 13-9 lead. The game would be back and forth until the half with seven ties and six lead changes. Carleton scored the last four points of the half to take a 31-27 lead into the locker room.
The Knights shot 41.8 percent for the game and held the Gusties 32.1 percent from the field. Neither team shot well from the free throw line, as Carleton was 17-of-29 (58.6 percent) and Gustavus was 14-of-24 (58.3 percent). The Knights held a 44-38 advantage on the boards and owned an 18-15 spread in points off turnovers.