Yellowjackets 63, Saint Mary's 56

Thursday's game at Saint Mary's was the first game action in 12 days for the Yellowjacket women's basketball team, and there was no easing back into the schedule, as the Cardinals gave them everything they wanted and then some.  Behind double-doubles from Hailey Hart (Osseo, Wis./Osseo-Fairchild) and Sally Linzmeier (Valders, Wis./Valders), the Yellowjackets fought off a quick Saint Mary's start to the second half and persevered their way to a 63-56 win in Winona, Minn.

Hart and Linzmeier continue to pace the Yellowjackets.  The duo has hit double figures in points and rebounds three times in the last four Yellowjacket contests.

The game started slowly as it seemed like the teams were more than willing to go through a feeling-out period, perhaps using the first ten minutes to knock some rust off after the extended hiatus.  Regardless, the teams traded baskets and neither team jumped out to a big lead.  The Yellowjackets finally made their move with six minutes to play.  Leading 19-16, the Yellowjackets went on a big run to close the half, outscoring the Cardinals 13-4 to head into the break leading 32-20.  Linzmeier and Carly Chell (Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley) combined to score all 13 of the points during the run in the last six minutes.  Linzmeier scored eight of the points while Chell scored five, including the only three-pointer of the half for the Yellowjackets.

But as quickly as the Yellowjackets built the lead, the Cardinals tore it down.

The Cardinals came out strong in the second half, taking advantage of cooler shooting and turnovers by the Yellowjackets to not only close the gap, but eventually take the lead.  A Brittany Bergowicz layup with just over 11 minutes to play brought the Cardinals all the way back, and they led 45-44.  The teams would again trade buckets over the next four minutes before the Yellowjackets again made a move.  Connie Urmanski (Edgar, Wis./Edgar) drove the basket and scored on the layup with 5:59 to play to make it 53-51.  Seconds later, following a turnover, Urmanski drained a three-pointer and just like that the Yellowjackets were up five.  The Cardinals' Jamie Stefely would score five of her own over the next two minutes to again draw the teams even at 56-56.  An Urmanski layup with 2:36 to play put the Yellowjackets up for good.  Urmanski would score seven straight points before Kailee McDonald (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to make the final margin 63-56.

Linzmeier led the Yellowjacket offense, scoring a game high 16 points while Urmanski added 14.  Hart finished the game with 12 points, nine of which came in the second half.  In the process, Hart broke the 900-point barrier for her career.  Linzmeier also led the Yellowjackets with a game-high 13 rebounds, while Hart pulled down 12.  Urmanski and Hart led the Yellowjackets with three assists apiece.  Hart and Bri Davis (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) each had one block.  Linzmeier had a team-best four steals.

Octavia Brown had 13 points to lead Saint Mary's, who also got 12 points from Jessica Thone and 11 from Stefely.

Milestone Update: Hart continues to close in on the top-ten all-time scoring chart.  With her 12 points Thursday, Hart now has scored 902 points with the Yellowjackets.  She is 31 points behind tenth-place Maggie Dittburner.  Her 12 rebounds give her 529 for her career, 27 behind eighth-place Sherri Domitrovich.

The Yellowjackets (6-5, 1-3 WIAC), who have won two straight, turn around and host a home, non-conference game on Friday, December 30 when Bethany Lutheran College comes to Mertz Mortorelli Gym.  Game time is 6:00 p.m.  The game can be seen live on the Internet at www.ifan.tv.