ST. JOSEPH, Minn. - The Minnesota Morris women's basketball team returned to the College of Saint Benedict Saturday for the second day of the Quinlivan & Hughes Tip-Off Tournament. Playing against their third MIAC foe in as many games, the Cougars dropped an 81-57 decision to Saint Mary's.

Saint Mary's jumped out to an early nine-point lead. Back-to-back baskets from Elli Stevenson and Abby Van Kempen trimmed the deficit to 4 at 17-13 before an SMU jumper made it 19-13 after one.

The Cardinals used a 7-0 run to early in the second quarter to gain their first double-digit lead. Mauren Thiesen and Van Kempen each made 3s to get the deficit back down to single-digits on two occasion, but the Cardinals would take a 39-23 lead going into halftime.

The lead would to extend to 20 early in the third quarter and they would hold at least a 20-point advantage the remainder of the game.

Thiesen led three Cougars in double figures with 14 points. Stevenson scored 11 and Van Kempen added a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Minnesota Morris (0-3) remains on the road for their next game, Tuesday at Mayville State.