Box Score  | GameDay Preview

NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team boasted four players in double figures — led by Mark Schumacher (Perham, Minn.) and Michael Burfeind (Lewiston, Minn.) — but Carleton used a 9-4 run to open the second half and slowly pulled away in handing the Cardinals a 83-60 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback Saturday at West Gym.

Schumacher and Burfeind each scored 15 points for SMU, while Evan Pederson (Onalaska, Wis.) and Josh Bennett (North St. Paul, Minn.) chipped in 12 and 10 points, respectively. Schumacher tossed in 12 of his 15 points in the first half, while Burfeind knocked down 6 of 10 field goals — including a 3-pointer — and was a perfect 2-for-2 from the line.

Burfeind has now scored in double figures in 29 of his last 32 games — including all seven games he's played this year — while Schumacher's 15 points were just four points shy of his collegiate best.

The Cardinals got out of the gate quickly, jumping out to a 7-2 advantage, but Carleton answered with an 18-6 run of its own to lead 20-13 with 11 minutes remaining in the first half.

A Burfeind 3-pointer and a basket by Schumacher gave the Cardinals a 22-20 advantage, before Carleton closed out the half on an 18-10 spurt to take a 38-32 lead into the locker room at the break.

Carleton extended its lead to 47-36 four minutes into the second half, and pushed the advantage to 16, 63-47 with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation. The Cardinals closed the gap to 12, 70-58 on a Bennett jumper with 5:18, but the Knights answered, closing the game on a 13-2 run to seal the win.

Tom Swatzke tossed in a game-high 27 points for the Knights, while John Eckert added 14, and Scott Theisen and Shane McSparron each tallied 10.

The Cardinals are right back in action on Monday, traveling to Moorhead, Minn., for a 5 p.m. MIAC game against Concordia.