Martin Luther Defeats St. Olaf Women’s Basketball in New Ulm

In a tough non-conference matchup, the St. Olaf College women’s basketball team just couldn’t get their offense going. They ended up falling 59-40 to Martin Luther College.

The game took place at the Luther Student Center in New Ulm, Minn. St. Olaf actually led at halftime, but things unraveled in the second half.

This win snapped Martin Luther’s losing streak in the series, their first victory over St. Olaf since 1994. The Oles had beaten them 11 straight times before this.

There were some standout moments and players, but the game slipped away after halftime.

First Half: Defensive Battle

Right from the start, both teams struggled to score. It was a defensive grind.

St. Olaf managed to edge ahead 21-19 at halftime, mostly thanks to their defense. The Oles held the Knights to just 21.7 percent shooting in the first quarter and an even lower 15.8 percent in the second.

But St. Olaf’s own offense had trouble too, shooting just 34.8 percent for the game.

Key Players and Performances

First-year players Erin Schauer and Hallie Koltz led the Oles with eight points each. Junior Bree Wilkerson and sophomore Elise Hahn chipped in seven apiece.

Martin Luther’s defense really made things difficult, forcing 23 turnovers and turning those into a 16-4 edge in points off turnovers.

Second Half: Martin Luther’s Dominance

After halftime, everything changed. Martin Luther outscored St. Olaf by a wild 49-10 margin.

The Knights caught fire, shooting 61.5 percent in the third quarter and 57.1 percent in the fourth. Lydia Feidt was unstoppable, racking up 24 points, 13 rebounds, and seven steals.

Turning Point

The third quarter was where it all flipped. Martin Luther put up 23 points after scoring just 19 in the whole first half.

The Knights also hit their free throws, going 7-for-8, and that helped them pull away. Koltz hit a three early in the fourth—the first for either team—but it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback.

Statistical Breakdown

The numbers pretty much tell the story. St. Olaf got outscored 44-24 in points in the paint and really struggled from deep, making just 1-for-13 from three.

Martin Luther wasn’t any better from outside (just 1-for-27), but they made up for it in other areas.

Impact of Turnovers

Turnovers were a killer for St. Olaf. Martin Luther took advantage of those 23 turnovers and turned them into 16 points.

That kind of efficiency off mistakes makes it tough to win, honestly.

Looking Ahead

St. Olaf gets a chance to regroup soon, with a home game coming up against Crown College.

They’ll need to figure out how to get the offense moving and take better care of the ball if they want to bounce back.