WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team steps out of conference play for its final game in the 2011 portion of their schedule, as they host Viterbo in a 7:45 p.m. nonconference contest at the SMU Gym.



The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (0-8 Overall)
vs. Viterbo V-Hawks  (5-6 Overall)

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Last Action:
The Cardinals got career-high performances from Michael Burfeind (Lewiston, Minn.) and Pat Freeman (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), but their second-half comeback fall just short, as Concordia handed SMU an 85-78 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback in Moorhead, Minn. … Viterbo, meanwhile, got a combined 38 points from Matt Turba and Izac and Sheforgen, but it was not enough, as the V-Hawks dropped a 65-56 Midwest Collegiate Conference contest to Waldorf in La Crosse, Wis., Saturday.

SMU vs. Viterbo — A Year Ago:
December 15, 2010: The Cardinals got a game-high 17 points from Chris Palmer and used a game-ending 19-5 run to put away Viterbo 69-55 in a nonconference game at Beggs Gym in La Crosse, Wis.

Up Next:
Following Wednesday's game vs. Viterbo, the Cardinals will break for the holidays, returning to action on Jan. 4, when they travel to St. Peter, Minn., for a 7:30 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against Gustavus. … Viterbo, meanwhile, are back in action Dec. 18-19, traveling to Hawaii to face Hawaii Pacific and University of Hawaii-Hilo.

Saint Mary's Cardinals News and Notes:
2011-12 Roster | 2011-12 Statistics | 2011-12 Schedule
Wednesday's game against Viterbo is the final nonconference contest of the season for the Cardinals. … Michael Burfeind averaged 32 points and 9.5 rebounds in SMU's two games last week, earning the Cardinal junior MIAC Player of the Week honors. … For the second time in as many games, Burfeind posted a career high for points against Concordia last Wednesday, as the SMU junior poured in 38 points against the Cobbers. … It was the first 30-point effort of Burfeind's career and was the most scored by a Cardinal since Will Wright tossed in 41 against MacMurray (Ill.) on Nov. 22, 2008. … Burfeind drained 11 of 12 free throws against Concordia last Wednesday and has now made 27 of 29 free throws in his last three games. … Last Wednesday's effort vs. CC marked the third straight game and sixth time in eight contests that Burfeind has led the team in scoring. … Burfeind has now scored in double figures in seven of the team's eight games, including four games of 20 or more points. … Pat Freeman (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) also recorded a career-high in points vs. Concordia, complimenting Burfeind's 38-point effort with 23 points of his own. … Burfeind and Freeman accounted for 61 of the team's 78 points. … The efforts of Burfeind and Freeman marked the first time this season SMU has had two players score 20 or more points in the same game. … Burfeind, who recorded his first collegiate double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds against Saint John's on Dec. 5, enters Wednesday's game vs. Viterbo as the team leader in scoring (20.3 ppg) and rebounding (6.3 rpg). … Freeman is also averaging in double figures at 11.5 ppg, while Evan Pederson (Onalaska, Wis.), who scored a career-best 15 points against Saint John's on Dec. 5, is the team-leader in assists (35 / 4.4 apg) and is third in scoring (9.0 ppg). … The Cardinals trailed Concordia 42-31 at the half last Wednesday, marking the third straight game in which SMU has trailed by 11 at the half. … Wednesday's game against Viterbo is just the second home game of the season for the Cardinals, who play nine of their first 11 games on the road. … With last Wednesday's game at Concordia, the Cardinals traveled 1,120 miles in a span of three days. SMU played at Saint John's (390 miles roundtrip) on Monday, and made the 730-mile round-trip trek to Concordia two days later. … The Cardinals boasted five players — Burfeind (24), Pat Freeman (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / 13), LaMonte Hall (Minneapolis, Minn. / 12), Pederson (10) and Brandon Larsen (Rochester, Minn. / 10) — in double figures against UW-Oshkosh on Nov. 25. It was the first time since Feb. 10, 2010 that the Cardinals recorded five double-figure scorers in a game. … The Cardinals, who closed out the 2010-2011 season as the top free-throw shooting team in all of NCAA Division III — shooting a school-record .794 from the line (394-for-496) — are 146-for-184 (79 percent) from the line this season.  … The Cardinals set season-highs for field goals (26), field goal attempts (60), 3-pointers (6), 3-point attempts (18), and rebounds (41) against Concordia last Wednesday. … SMU went to the free throw line a season-high 32 times against UW-Oshkosh on Nov. 25, converting on 28 of their 32 attempts. … SMU dished out a season-high 15 assists against St. Olaf on Dec. 3. … The Cardinals committed just three turnovers vs. UW-Oshkosh on Nov. 25, the fewest since recording three turnovers against Augsburg on Feb. 10, 2007

Viterbo V-Hawks News and Notes:
2011-12 Roster | 2011-12 Statistics | 2011-12 Schedule
Wednesday's game at Saint Mary's is the first of five straight road games for the V-Hawks, who do not play at home again until Jan. 7, when they host MCC newcomer AIB College of Business. … Viterbo's 65-56 loss to Waldorf Saturday was the V-Hawks' second straight setback and sixth in their last eight games. … Matt Turba went 8-for-19 from the floor en route to a team-high 20 points vs. Waldorf Saturday. Turba also missed out on a double-double by one rebound, finishing with nine boards. … Izac Sheforgen chipped in 18 points Saturday, as the duo accounted for 38 of the team's 56 points. … Turba's 20-point effort vs. Waldorf marked the second time this season the sophomore has scored 20 or more points. Turba netted a season-high 26 points against UW-River Falls on Nov. 15. … Viterbo has had a different leading scorer in each of its last three games. … The V-Hawks enter Wednesday's game at Saint Mary's boasting three players averaging 12 points-per-game — Sheforgen (12.6 ppg), Turba (12.6 ppg) and Jordan Laufenberg (12.1 ppg). … Viterbo is shooting 36 percent from behind the 3-point line, with Laufenberg leading the way with 21 treys through 11 games. … Viterbo has outscored its opponents 323-322 in the first half, but the V-Hawks have been outscored 359-344 over the game's final 20 minutes. … Wednesday's game at Saint Mary's is just the third road game of the season for Viterbo, which has played nine of its first 11 games at home.