Box Score  | Photo Gallery | GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team put three players in double figures, but a rash of second-half turnovers proved to be the Cardinals' downfall, as Hamline outscored SMU 42-27 in the second half in handing Saint Mary's a 72-51 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback Wednesday evening at the SMU Gym.

The Cardinals had the upper hand early, scoring seven of the game's first nine points to hold a 7-2 lead in the game's opening five minutes. The Pipers answered with a 6-0 run to take an 8-7 advantage — a lead they would not relinquish.

Hamline led by as many as nine in the game's opening 20 minutes, but settled for a six-point, 30-24, halftime advantage as the Cardinals' LaMonte Hall (Minneapolis, Minn.) drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Four straight turnovers in their first four possessions of the second half, however, allowed Hamline to push its lead to 14, 38-24, and the Pipers never looked back in keeping their MIAC playoff hopes alive.

Michael Burfeind (Lewiston, Minn.) scored a team-high 12 points for the Cardinals, while Evan Pederson (Onalaska, Wis.) and Pat Freeman (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) each chipped in 11. Hall finished with nine points and a career-best seven rebounds, while Freeman — one of three SMU seniors playing in his final collegiate home game — tallied five boards.

SMU shot 44 percent from the field (20-for-45), but the Cardinals were hampered by 21 turnovers — including 13 after halftime.

Mike Campbell netted a game-high 16 points for the Pipers (10-9 MIAC, 12-12 overall), while Al Tillman added 13 and Dior Ford and Noah Aguirre tallied 12 and 11 points, respectively.

The Cardinals (5-14 MIAC, 5-19 overall) close out their 2011-12 season on Saturday, traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a 3 p.m. conference showdown against defending national champion St. Thomas.