NORTHFIELD, Minn -- Hannah Oken Berg (Sr./Portland, Ore./Lincoln) scored a game-high 21 points, but Carleton lost to Macalester College, 69-61, eliminating the Knights from the chase for a playoff berth.
The Knights' hope for a ninth consecutive post-season bid were slim to begin with as the team entered play two games out of the final playoff slot with only three games remaining. Carleton's loss and Bethel's 61-36 win at Augsburg officially canceled any chances of the Knights' repeating last season's magical run through the MIAC Playoffs.
In addition to Oken-Berg, Sarah Lincoln (Sr./Rockford, Minn.) and Annie Eckhoff (Jr./Northfield, Minn.) were factors for Carleton. Lincoln was two points shy of a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds, while Eckhoff chipped in eight points and five rebounds off the bench.
This also marked Carleton’s Pink Zone event, part of a nation-wide effort by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) to increase awareness and raise donations for breast cancer research. Both teams wore pink t-shirts during warm-ups, as did numerous fans in attendance.The first half was a back-and-forth contest as neither team had a lead larger than six points. By halftime, the Scots (10-13, 8-12 MIAC) lead Carleton by the slimmest of margins, 27-26.
Early after halftime, the Knights (10-13, 9-11 MIAC) were able to dictate play, and they possessed a 40-35 lead with 12:57 left to play, matching their largest lead of the game.
Macalester responded and went on a 15-5 run over the next four-and-half minutes, but Carleton could get no closer than three points the rest of the way.
The Scots entered the afternoon as one of the poorer free-throw shooting teams in the league, but converted 22-of-27 attempts from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, the Knights struggled at the line, going 11-of-20 (55 percent), well below the season average for a squad that shoots 77 percent.
In addition, the Knights struggled to keep the Scots off the offensive boards and surrendered 14 offensive rebounds leading to 23 second-chance points.
Trina PaStarr led Macalester with 13 points and six rebounds. Marja Mucic provided the Scots with a lift off the bench, finishing with 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Knights will host Augsburg College (4-19, 2-18 MIAC) on Wednesday, February 18. It will be Senior Night, and the last home game for seniors Oken-Berg, Lincoln, Annie Isler (Minneapolis, Minn./Hopkins) and Sarah Kunelius (Eagan, Minn.) Live video of the 7:30 p.m. game will be featured on Knights Online. Carleton then concludes the regular season at Bethel next Saturday.
