The Pipers have now won four straight games, improving to 10-10 overall and 10-7 in the MIAC. Gustavus has dropped three straight and five of its last six, falling to 12-8 overall and 11-6 with the loss.
With a 9-8 edge four minutes into the game, Gustavus went on a 9-1 run to open up its lead to nine points (18-9) with 13:11 left in the first half. Hamline began to chip away at the lead at that point, cutting the deficit to two points (24-22) at the eight minute mark and one point (28-27) less than two minutes following at 6:19.
A layup by Steph Pilgrim with :30 seconds on the clock brought the score to 35-33 in favor of the Gusties at the break. Gustavus shot 45.5-percent in the first half, as Abby Rothenbuehler (Sr., North Mankato, Minn.) led the way in scoring with nine points after going 4-for-5 from the field. Britta Rinke (Jr., Waconia, Minn.) added seven points on 3-of-5 shooting.
Both squads shot over 50-percent from the field in the second half. Gustavus shot 55.2-percent, while Hamline shot 50-percent which included a 9-for-16 showing from three-point range.
The Pipers took their first lead since the opening two minutes of the game when Je'Naya Brown scored to put her squad up 38-37 at the 18:35 mark of the second. Once Hamline took a 41-37 lead, Gustavus bounced back with its best scoring-run of the night. The Gusties scored 11 straight points to grab a 48-41 lead by 14:36.
Gustavus held the advantage until the 5:33 mark when a three-pointer by Steph Pilgrim put Hamline up by one at 62-61. The two teams then traded baskets before a three by Brown proved to be the final lead change of the afternoon, putting the Pipers on top 67-65.
The Pipers did not turn the ball over once in the final five minutes of the game, going 4-for-6 from the field and 6-for-6 at the charity stripe. A layup by Kesley Florian (Sr., Roseville, Minn.) with :02 seconds on the clock brought the score to a final.
Florian scored 14 points in the second half, going 5-for-6 from the floor and 3-for-4 at the line. She finished with a team-high 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field and a 5-for-6 day at the stripe.
Hamline's Je'Naya Brown led the Pipers with 14 points in the second half, while her teammate Steph Pilgrim added 13. Pilgrim scored a game-high 23 points after going 9-for-24 from the floor and 5-for-13 from beyond the arc. Brown finished with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting, and Cassidy Vogt added 11 after making 3-of-4 threes.
Finishing behind Florian in scoring for Gustavus was Abby Rothenbuehler and Karina Schroeder (Fy., Lake Crystal, Minn.). Rothenbuehler brought down seven rebounds and scored 15 points on an efficient 7-for-8 day from the floor, while Schroeder recorded a double-double after scoring 15 points (6-10) and hauling down 10 boards. Julia Dysthe (Jr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) rounded out the squad's top scorers with 11 points (4-12).
In the game, Gustavus shot 50-percent (31-62) from the field, 55.6-percent (5-9) from three-point range, and 68.8-percent (11-16) at the stripe. Hamline shot 43.5-percent (27-62) from the floor, 45.2-percent (14-31) from three, and 85.7-percent (12-14) at the line.
Gustavus had the rebounding edge 41-28, yet lost the turnover battle 17-14.
The Gustavus women's basketball team looks to get back on track Monday, Feb. 4 when hosts Macalester College at 7:30 p.m. on Gus Young Court.