Despite a game-high 14 points from Michele Arima (Jr./Valencia, Calif./West Ranch), the Carleton College women’s basketball team dropped a 64-56 result at Saint Mary’s University.

Arima converted a layup to put the Knights (8-16, 6-11 MIAC) in front 15-13 at the 11:22 mark of the first half. The Cardinals (16-8, 10-7 MIAC) responded with a game-changing 17-2 run spanning the next seven minutes.

Carleton trailed 33-26 and faced a deficit as large as 13 in the second half. Nnenna Ezem (Fy./Berkeley, Ill./Proviso West Academy) scored to pull the Knights within 49-46 with 8:00 remaining in the contest, but the Cardinals immediately responded with an 8-0 spurt. Carleton would get no closer than seven points over the balance of the contest.

Skylar Tsutsui (Sr./North- ridge, Calif./Harvard-Westlake) was the only other Knight in double figures, finishing with 11 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists.

Octavia Brown notched her first collegiate double-double, tallying 12 points and 10 rebounds in helping the Cardinals clinch a playoff berth.

Carleton concludes the season on Saturday, Feb. 21 at Bethel University for a women’s-men’s doubleheader with starting times of 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Live audio of both games will be available via Knights Online and will be simulcast on KDHL 920AM in the Northfield/Faribault area.