Box Score  | GameDay Preview

OSHKOSH, Wis. — A day after recording his first collegiate 20-point game — a career-best 24-point effort against UW-Oshkosh — Michael Burfeind (Lewiston, Minn.) was at it again Saturday afternoon, as the Saint Mary's University junior netted his second straight 20-plus performance against UW-Eau Claire in the second day of the UW-Oshkosh Thanksgiving Classic.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Burfeind's 21-point effort, wasn't enough, as the Blugolds used a 16-6 second-half run to pull away for a 75-67 victory.

Burfeind proved to be a one-man wrecking crew early on against UW-Eau Claire, scoring 10 of the team's first 13 points and 14 of SMU's first 19.

UW-Eau Claire used a 12-0 run midway through the first half to grab a 25-13 advantage, and led 31-19, before settling for a 38-26 advantage at the half.

The Cardinals came out quickly to open the second half, cutting the UW-Eau Claire lead to seven, 55-48 with nine minutes remaining in regulation, only to have the Blugolds use a 16-6 run — culminated by eight straight UWEC points — to make it a 71-54 game with 2:55 on the clock.

Not about to throw in the towel, SMU would close on a 13-4 run over the final 2:55, but just ran out of time.

Burfeind knocked down 6 of 16 field goal attempts and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line for the Cardinals SMU also got 11 points from Pat Freeman (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), who accounted for three of the team's six 3-pointers, while Burfeind pulled down a team-leading seven rebounds, and Evan Pederson (Onalaska, Wis.) finished with six assists.

The Cardinals are back in action Wednesday, when they travel to Northfield, Minn., for a 7:30 p.m. game against Carleton to open Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.