ST. PETER, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team returns from the holiday break on Wednesday, traveling to Gustavus for a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against the Gusties. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m..



The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (0-4 MIAC | 0-9 Overall)
at Gustavus Gusties (3-2 MIAC | 6-3 Overall)

GameDay Live On The Web:
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Last Action:
The Cardinals have been off since Dec. 14, when their late, second-half rally fell just short, as Viterbo handed SMU a 62-58 nonconference setback at the SMU Gym. … Gustavus, meanwhile, returned from the holiday break on Dec. 28-29, traveling to Las Vegas, Nev., where the Gusties knocked off a pair of previously unbeatens — dropping Hardin-Simmons, 71-69, and Transylvania, 66-62.

SMU vs. Gustavus — A Year Ago:
January 22, 2011: SMU battled all game with visiting Gustavus, but each time the Cardinals threatened, the Gusties would answer, as GAC held off SMU 67-59 in an MIAC game at the SMU Gym.
February 19, 2011: Will Wright and Chris Palmer each scored 20 points for the Cardinals, while Lukas Holland chipped in 16, but the Gusties made the most of a sizzling start, racing out to a 43-33 halftime lead — an advantage Gustavus would not relinquish in beating the Cardinals 89-78 in St. Peter, Minn.

Up Next:
The Cardinals are back on the road on Saturday, traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a 3 p.m. conference game against Macalester. … Gustavus, meanwhile, steps out of conference play on Saturday, hosting UW-Stout in a 7:30 p.m. nonconference game in St. Peter, Minn.

Saint Mary's Cardinals News and Notes:
2011-12 Roster | 2011-12 Statistics | 2011-12 Schedule
Michael Burfeind (Lewiston, Minn.) closed out a memorable 2011 portion of the season with a game-high 27 points in the Cardinals' loss to Viterbo on Dec. 14. … Burfeind, who earned MIAC Player of the Week honors on Dec. 12 — after averaging 32 points and 9.5 rebounds in the Cardinals' games against Saint John's and Concordia — has led the team in scoring in seven of SMU's nine games, and has now scored in double figures in eight of the team's nine games — including five games of 20 or more points. … Burfeind scored a career-high 38 points against Concordia on Dec. 7. 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 was a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line against Viterbo on Dec. 14, has made 29 of his last 31 free throws and is 58-for-64 (91 percent) from the line this season. … Pat Freeman (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), who scored a career-best 23 points vs. Concordia on Dec. 7, was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line against Viterbo on Dec. 14. … With their 38- and 23-point efforts against Concordia on Dec. 7, Burfeind and Freeman marked the first time SMU has had two players score 20 or more points in the same game this season. … 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 at Gustavus as the team leader in scoring (21.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.1 rpg). … Burfend's 21.0 ppg average ranks him second in the MIAC in scoring. … Freeman is also averaging in double figures at 11.1 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 (38 / 4.2 apg) and is third in scoring (8.9 ppg). … The Cardinals boasted five players — Burfeind (24), Freeman (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 160-for-201 (80 percent) from the line this season.  … SMU ranks No. 4 in NCAA Division III in free throw percentage. … 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 on Dec. 7. … 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. … SMU's Dec. 14 game against Viterbo was just the second home game of the season for the Cardinals, who play nine of their first 11 games on the road. … The showdown against Viterbo was also the final nonconference game of the season for the Cardinals.

Gustavus Gusties News and Notes:
2011-12 Roster | 2011-12 Statistics | 2011-12 Schedule
With their two wins at the D3hoops.com Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., last week, the Gusties have now won four of their last five contests. … The combined record of GAC's two opponents in Las Vegas — prior to meeting the Gusties — was 18-0. Hardin-Simmons entered tournament play 8-0, while Transylvania was 10-0. … Three of Gustavus' last four wins have been by four points or less — 82-80 vs. Augsburg on Dec. 7, 71-69 vs. Hardin-Simmons on Dec. 29, and 66-62 vs. Transylvania on Dec. 30. … Wednesday's game against Saint Mary's is just the third home game of the season for the Gusties, who are a perfect 2-0 on their home court. … Seth Anderson, who averaged 23.0 ppg in GAC's two games in Las Vegas — netting 22 vs. Hardin-Simmons and 24 against Transylvania ¬— has led the team in scoring in eight of their nine games. … Anderson netted a school-record 45 points in Gustavus' season-opening 98-96 win over Buena Vista, breaking D.L. Smith's 41-point mark set on Jan. 15, 1957. Anderson netted 29 of his school-record 45 points in the second half, going 11-for-18 from the field and 6-for-8 at the line. … Anderson enters Wednesday's game averaging 25.7 ppg, while Ben Biewen is also averaging in double figures at 10.2 ppg. … Anderson's 25.7 ppg average leads the MIAC. He is one of just two conference players averaging 20 or more points. SMU's Michael Burfeind (21.0 ppg) is the other. … As a team, the Gusties are averaging 71.2 ppg, having scored 70 or more points in four of their six wins. GAC netted a season-high 98 points vs. Buena Vista on Nov. 15. … GAC has been outscored 324-285 in the first half, but the Gusties own a 356-334 scoring edge in the game's final 20 minutes.