Storm Lake, Iowa – Megan Vig (So./Northfield, Minn.) tallied 17 points and nine rebounds but 11th-ranked Carleton College shot only 31 percent from the floor in the second half, falling to 20th-ranked Buena Vista University, 69-61, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Buena Vista was paced by Amy Meggers' game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds while Katie Maguire added 17 points and six assists and Kelli Taylor chipped in with 12 points and six rebounds. The Beavers (27-2) advance to play in the NCAA Tournament sectional on March 12-13 to face the winner of the Chapman University (Calif.)-University of Puget Sound (Wash.) winner. It marked BVU's 17th consecutive victory.
Linnea Engel (Sr./Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) posted 16 points and six rebounds for Carleton, while Kari Christianson (So./Twin Valley, Minn./Norman County East) was also in double figures with 10 points.
Carleton faced a huge free-throw disparity in the game, as the host Beavers were 26-for-33 from the line while Carleton shot only 15 free throw, converting nine of those attempts. Carleton's two starting post players, Vig and Beth Freeman, tallied a combined 32 shot attempts but didn't shoot a single free throw.
The Knights (25-4) held the Beavers 29 percent shooting in the first half, grabbing a 30-27 halftime lead. Vig tallied 11 points in the first stanza and Christianson gave the Knights a lift with six points off the bench.
BVU tied the game right out of the locker room on a Meggers triple and free throw, but Carleton responded with an 8-3 spurt and stretched the lead to 40-34 on a pair of Christianson free throws. The hosts answered right back, using a 17-4 spurt that proved to be enough for the victory. Taylor started the spree with a triple with Maguire scoring five points and Meggers four during the spurt.
Carleton made one, final run. Facing a six-point deficit with 6:26 left, the Knights quickly closed the gap to one. The Knights were never able to regain the lead, however, pulling within two points on four occasions in the final four minutes. The last time came after a Vig lay-up with 2:43 left, but Maguire and Taylor scored consecutive buckets inside and the Knights got no closer than four points as BVU was 6-of-8 from the free-throw line in the final minute.
For the game the Knights shot 37.3 percent to BVU's 39.2 percent. Carleton actually made more field goals than the hosts, 25-20, but the Knights were unable to overcome the huge free-throw disparity. Carleton held a sizable 43-38 edge on the glass, including a season-high 18 offensive rebounds.
Carleton's 25 victories this season matches last year's total for the most in school history. The Knights are 50-7 over the last two years and 74-13 over the last three seasons.
