The Albert Lea Tigers girls’ basketball team entered Thursday’s game losers of its past three games and had a chance to rebound against another reeling team in Austin, which lost seven consecutive games heading into the I-90 battle held in Albert Lea on Thursday night.

Abbey Arends and Morgan Stadheim combined to score 31 points, more than half of the Tigers points, to push Albert Lea to a 44-40 victory over the Packers to end a five-game slide against Austin.

Arends led the Tigers (7-8, 5-4 Big Nine) with a game-high 18 points and collected 12 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. She scored 10 of those points from the free throw line, hitting 10 of 11 attempts.

“Usually that’s an explanation of what we’re gonna have as soon as she settles down,” Gilliam said. “She got to the free-throw line 11 times, went 10-of-11 from the line, that’s outstanding and that’s by hitting penetration of the zone.”

Stadheim added 13 points for Albert Lea as she scored in double figures for the fifth consecutive game.

On the other end of the court the Tigers held the Packers (2-17, 1-9 Big Nine) to 5-of-27 shooting from the field and 26 percent for the game.

In the second half, Austin made an early run when Kaycee Lukes hit a three-pointer to pull ahead 20-19. Thirty seconds later, Arends hit a jumper that gave the Tigers a 21-20 lead, which they never relinquished though the Packers tied the game three times.

Arends iced the game hitting four free throws in the final 1 minute, 20 seconds to seal the victory for the Tigers.

The Tigers play Winona Friday in Winona.

Albert Lea 44, Austin 40

Austin 15 25 — 40

Albert Lea 19 25 — 44

Austin scoring: Kaycee Lukes 16, Babaye Oja 10, Bri Mayer 5, Meredith Molhusen 4, Jenna Svoboda 4, Nina Carney 1.

Albert Lea scoring: Abbey Arends 18, Morgan Stadheim 13, Bryn Woodside 4, Lana Howe 3, Mikaela Pierson 2, Sarah Wenum 2, Skyler Anderson 2.