CSB basketball looks for successful championship run

The CSB basketball team is looking to close out a strong regular season before the conference championship tournament. The Bennies are currently tied for fourth in the MIAC with a conference record of 10-6, 15-8 overall. The team has relied on a combination of proven returners as well as a large first-year class that has stepped into a role greater than they expected.

The Bennies started their season by hosting their annual Tip-Off Tournament, in which they went 1-1 with a win against the University of Minnesota-Morris and a loss to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in the championship game. After this, the team went on a six-game winning streak, including three straight wins against conference opponents. This momentum led them into the Puerto Rico Classico over winter break, a trip that junior Megan Morgan described, via email, as a great way for the team to bond on and off the court.

Driving the offense for the Bennies this season has been the 3-point shot, as they lead the MIAC in total attempts and makes, averaging 7.2 made 3-point shots per game. Head coach Mike Durbin explained that the team’s abundance of good shooters has led to this style of play.

The dominant force in this aspect of the game has been senior Sophia Jonas, who leads the conference in 3-point shots made. Her ability to shoot the ball opens up the floor for her teammates as well.

“Sophia often draws one of the opposing team’s best defenders, which gives other teammates the opportunity to score against weaker defenders. Her ability to drive and finish or drive and kick has been a huge asset to our team this year,” Morgan said.

However, Morgan believes what the team is especially good at this season is playing team basketball, which leads to balanced scoring from the whole roster.

This season, Jonas’ list of accomplishments has grown, becoming the MIAC career 3-point record holder with 256 and counting, after becoming the school record holder for total 3-pointers made last season. She passed 1,000 total points on Jan. 22 and has scored the 14th-highest total points in CSB program history. A MIAC Women’s Basketball Offensive Player of the Week honor and two CSB Athlete of the Week honors adorn her trophy shelf too. Also receiving CSB Athlete of the Week honors are Morgan, with two herself, and first-year Lauren Arnold.

Arnold’s play this season highlights the impact that the first-year class has had on the success of the team. She has started every game this season for the Bennies, and her 26.1 minutes per game is second among all first-years. Third in minutes for first-years is Tatum Findley, whose offensive output has come as a pleasant surprise to Durbin. Sofia Baldessari, in twelve games before an injury, led all first-years in minutes per game with 27.2, and also led the entire team in rebounds per game with 6.4.

Morgan praised the first years’ energy.

“Their love for the game is contagious. They are extremely supportive and work hard in practice to improve individually, but also make their teammates better,” Morgan said.

Paving the way for these athletes is an experienced group of upperclassmen that includes three juniors and three seniors. Jonas and Morgan are first and second in scoring and assists on the team, and junior Kira Young is first in rebounds among those who have played more than 20 games.

According to Morgan, it isn’t just their athletic ability that sets them apart. Their leadership dynamic, Morgan said, is shared among the six of them so that everyone on the team has someone that they can look to for support. Durbin echoed similar sentiments.

“They’ve been such good players, but better ambassadors and representatives of CSB and CSB Basketball. I have been really honored to coach those three. They’re a good group,” Durbin said of this year’s senior class.

The Bennies aim to lock up a berth in the conference championship tournament with two games remaining on the schedule: a home contest versus Augsburg University and their final regular season game on the road at Bethel University, the current No. 1 seed in the conference.