Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CARDINAL ATHLETICS
mbbstjohns12512
Chris Ebert

Men's Basketball

Saint John's pulls away in second half to top Cardinals

Donny Nadeau, SMU Sports Information Director

SMU's Rod Goolsbuy puts up a shot during Wednesday's MIAC game against Saint John's at the SMU Gym.
Box Score  | Photo Gallery | GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn. — Michael Burfeind (Lewiston, Minn.) scored 14 points to lead a trio of Cardinals in double figures, but it was not enough, as Saint John's built a six-point halftime lead and held the Saint Mary's University men's basketball team at bay over the final 20 minutes in handing SMU a 64-50 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at the SMU Gym Wednesday.

The first half proved to be 20 minutes of streaks for the Cardinals and Johnnies, as SMU scored nine of the first 13 points to grab a 9-4 advantage, while SJU answered with a 5-0 run to knot things at 9-9.

A 6-3 burst put the Cardinals out front 15-12, but again the Johnnies came storming back, scoring 14 uanswered points to take their biggest lead of the half, 26-15, with just under five minutes remaining.

Eight straight for SMU — four by Burfeind and four by Rod Goolsby (Chicago, Ill.) — pulled the Cardinals back within three, 26-23, but a three-point play by SJU's Andy Burns pushed the Johnnies' lead back to six, 29-23, at the break.

A Tom Gores' (Rochester, Minn.) basket to open the second half made it a four-point game, 29-25, but the big runs were fewer and farther between for the Cardinals, who were on the short end of a 13-8 run that gave SJU an 11-point, 44-33, advantage with 12 minutes left in regulation.

SMU would cut the gap to nine on two occasions, but that was as close as they would get, as the Johnnies pulled away down the stretch.

Along with Burfeind's 14 points, SMU also got 11 points and four assists from Evan Pederson (Onalaska, Wis.) and 10 points from Pat Freeman (Brooklyn Park, Minn.).

SMU shot 45 percent from the field (21-for-47), and were a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line, while the Johnnies hit on 51 percent of their shots (26-for-51) and added an 8-for-9 showing from the line.

Burns scored a game-high 19 points and Aaron Barmore added 16 for the Johnnies (6-6 MIAC, 10-7 overall)

The Cardinals (3-9 MIAC, 3-14) are back in action on Saturday, traveling to Northfield, Minn., for a 3 p.m. conference game against St. Olaf.
Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad