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WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team got a first-hand look at the juggernaut that is league-leading and nationally-ranked St. Thomas Saturday afternoon.

The Tommies scored the game's first nine points and shot a blistering 50 percent from the field in handing the Cardinals an 87-58 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at the SMU Gym.

It wasn't that the Cardinals — who shot 39 percent from the field (20-for-51) and drained five 3-pointers — played that poorly, it was just that the Tommies played that well.

The Tommies' one-two punch — a smothering defense and lights-out shooting from the field — proved to be too much for the Cardinals, as UST shot 51 percent from the field (33-for-65), hit on 7 of 12 3-pointers, and forced SMU into 14 turnovers en route to their sixth conference win of the season.

Bakari Collins (Kenosha, Wis.) led the way for the Cardinals, scoring 11 points, while Trent Vix (Rushford, Minn.) tallied nine points a team-best three 3-pointers and Ronnie Ortiz (Dayton, Ohio), chipped in eight points.

St. Thomas — which has now won 16 straight against conference opponents — boasted four players in double figures, led by Conner Nord with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Marcus Alipate and Jimmy Remke each netted 11, and Ryan Saarela chipped in 10.

SMU (1-5 MIAC, 2-0 overall) return to action on Monday, as the Cardinals travel to Northfield, Minn., for a 7:30 p.m. conference game against Carleton.