Hot start, finish lead Carleton to road win at Augsburg

More news about: Carleton

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Bella Thomas tallied a career-high nine points and guard Emma Henry posted her fifth double-double of the season in helping the Carleton College women's basketball team to an 80-74 triumph at Augsburg University.

"It was great to pick up a tough road win," said Carleton head coach Tammy Metcalf-Filzen. "We moved the ball well and made plays when we needed to. We have to recover quickly and get ready to play again on Saturday."

Carleton (5-11, 4-10 MIAC) not only tallied a season high for points scored but this was its highest output since scoring 90 vs. Augsburg on Feb. 1, 2020.

Henry matched her season high with 18 points and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. Amelia Solt added 16 points, while Aiana Whitfield scored 14 of her 15 points in the second half. Jasmine Choi was the fourth Knight in double figures, finishing with 14 points and three steals.

Carleton shot 55.1 percent overall and went 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) from beyond the arc while holding Augsburg (9-8, 6-8 MIAC) to 49 percent overall and 33 percent (6-of-18) from long range.

The Knights jumped out to an 11-0 lead and held a 25-21 margin at the end of the frame. Henry and Thomas tallied eight points and seven points, respectively, in the period and the team shot 80 percent from the floor including a pair of 3-pointers by Henry.

Carleton held a 33-23 lead with 7:15 remaining in the half, but the Auggies continued to claw their way back into the game and closed the period with a 17-7 run to send the teams into halftime locked at 40-40.

Augsburg began the second half with a 13-5 spurt and held its largest lead of the contest at 51-45 midway through the third quarter. Carleton responded with a 7-0 run, including layups by Selma Vangstein and Liz Hiatt, but the hosts caried a 60-57 lead into the final stanza.

The final frame started with a 3-pointer from Whitfield, tying the game at 60-60. Those were the first of her eight fourth-quarter points.

The Auggies opened up a 67-62 lead with 7:33 still to play, but Carleton answered with a crucial 12-3 burst. Solt scored 7 of her 9 fourth-quarter tallies during that stretch and capped the run with a 3-pointer that gave the Knights a 74-70 advantage. Augsburg scored on its next possession, but Whitfield hit a drying layup with 1:01 left to make it a two-possession game. Solt and Choi both hit a pair of free throws to ice the game.

Augsburg's Jayley Coplin matched her career high with 27 points, with Samaiya Buchanan adding 11 points off the bench.