The men's and women's basketball teams both played well in their season-ending games at Carleton on Saturday, but both fell by narrow margins.

The two teams lost by a combined total of four points as the host Carls were able to get things done down the stretch in a way that the Oles could not. The women fell by a score of 63-61, the men by a 79-77 tally.

The women played hard in a tough game against a Carleton team ranked 23rd in the nation. Carleton led for most of the first half as it shot 50% to St. Olaf's 28%. Timely baskets and good rebounding allowed the Oles to keep it close and rally both times Carleton opened a big lead. Carleton carried a five point advantage into halftime, leading 29-24.

The Carls extended their advantage in the second half, seeing it climb to 11 at one point before St. Olaf mounted a comeback. The Oles responded with a 9-1 run, putting the score at 49-46 and leaving them within striking distance for the rest of the game. The Oles brought the game within one with 49 seconds left, but Carleton's free throw shooting made the difference down the stretch. The Carls made five of six from the charity stripe in the last three minutes to complete the victory.

Some nice shooting and strong defense enabled the big comeback for the Ole women. St. Olaf shot 57% from the field in the second half, twice its first half percentage, and held the Carls to 39% shooting after the intermission.

Sophomores Lisa Eidenschink and Liz Mundahl led all Ole scorers with 12 points. In the final game of her Ole career, Elisa Hatlevig, St. Olaf's lone senior, scored 11 points on 5 of 10 shooting and grabbed 7 rebounds.

Carleton's win completes a season sweep of St. Olaf, the first in Carleton women's basketball history. The St. Olaf women finish the season eighth in the MIAC with an 8-13 record in the conference. The Oles were 10-14 overall.

The men's team also ended its season in difficult fashion Saturday, dropping a two-point loss to the Carls. St. Olaf led from the opening buzzer but went on a huge draught down the stretch, managing only seven points in the final 7:13. Carleton senior Jeff Jensen made a pair of free throws with 3 seconds left to give the Carls the win 79-77 and a season split with the Oles.

The Ole men held Carleton to 28% shooting in the first half and had the "hot hand" early in the game, jumping out to a 10-0 lead early before Carleton started to pick up the pace. St. Olaf hit 9 of 15 three-point attempts in the first half, enabling the men to take a 41-33 advantage into halftime.

The Oles maintained control for most of the second half, holding a ten-point lead on five occasions, but after Tim Nelson's layup put St. Olaf up 70-58 with 7:13 to go, the game was all Carleton.

Carleton seniors Jensen and Steve Knutson carried the Carls home, scoring 18 of Carleton's final 22 points. Senior Ryan Olson's jumper with 1:58 to go gave St. Olaf a 77-75 lead that it carried into the final minute, but the only scoring in that final minute came from Jensen, who hit all four of his free throws to give Carleton a 79-77 win.

Nelson led the Oles with 17 points on seven of eight from the field. Senior captains Hallie Williams and Olson both also reached double figures, scoring 15 and 12 and nailing three three-pointers each. Five Carls scored in double figures in the season ending win, led by Steve Nuessle who scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Saturday's game was the last of the season for both teams as neither will advance to the MIAC playoffs. St. Olaf finishes ninth in the MIAC with a 5-15 record in the league, 7-17 overall. Carleton places eighth with a 9-15 overall record, 7-13 in the MIAC.

Carleton also retains possession of the coveted Goat Trophy, a traveling trophy between the two schools.

The Carls have had the trophy since the 1988-89 season; St. Olaf could have won it back Saturday