Box Score Game Summary / GameDay Preview

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team boasted four players in double figures Wednesday evening — and enjoyed a sizzling 7-for-10 showing from behind the 3-point line in building a 10-point halftime lead, but Augsburg rallied to outscore SMU 37-24 over the final 20 minutes in handing the Cardinals a 68-65 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback.

Chris Palmer (Faribault, Minn.) recorded his fifth double-double in the last six games — and ninth of the season — scoring 18 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Will Wright (Chicago, Ill.) also netted 18 points, while Pat Freeman (Champlin, Minn.) chipped in 12 points and Lukas Holland (La Crosse, Wis.) added 11.

Fueled by their accuracy from the 3-point line, the Cardinals raced out to a 41-31 halftime advantage. SMU would push that lead to 11 three times early in the second half, the last time at 54-43 with 14:41 remaining. From there, the Auggies took over, using a 12-2 run to cut the gap to one, 56-55.

A basket by Wright pushed the Cardinals' lead back to three, but the Auggies answered with three straight baskets by Cory Polta to give Augsburg a five-point, 63-58 advantage, with less than a minute on the clock.

Polta finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Auggies, while Matthew Quammen added 17 points and Andy Seidlitz finished with 11.

The Cardinals (3-7 MIAC, 8-7 overall), who have played eight of their last nine games on the road, return home on Saturday to play host to Gustavus in a 3 p.m. game at the SMU Gym.