Game Summary

ST. PAUL, Minn. — When your team is stuck in the midst of a season-opening six-game losing streak, it's pretty tough for the head coach to find the silver lining amidst the doom and gloom.

That, however, isn't the case for the Saint Mary's University men's basketball team.

It may feel like there's a never-ending dark cloud hanging over the Cardinals' every move, but in reality, there are more and more little specks of sunshine breaking through with each game.

Take Wednesday's 58-51 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss to St. Thomas, for example.

For the second straight game, it was the Cardinals who had the upper hand in the first half, battling the Tommies to a 24-24 halftime tie — despite shooting just 34.6 percent from the field.

And for the third straight game, the Cardinals held a lead late into the second half.

Unfortunately for coach Mark Lovelace and the Cardinals, the end result was still the same — a loss.

UST's Joey Shimek scored four points during a game-ending 11-4 Tommie run to help St. Thomas hold off the Cardinals. After a 3-pointer by St. Thomas' Neal Anderson gave the Tommies a 52-47 lead with 1:32 to play, SMU clawed back, getting to within one, 52-51, on two Dan Kloak (Elmwood Park, Ill.) free throws. That, however, was as close as the Cardinals would get, as USt scored the game's final six points to seal the win.

Terrence Smith (Broadview, Ill.) scored a team-high 10 points — all in the second half — and chipped in seven rebounds for the Cardinals (0-4 MIAC, 0-6 overall).