Box Score  | GameDay Preview

NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team put three players in double figures — including a pair of career-high performances from Ronnie Ortiz (Dayton, Ohio) and Trent Vix (Rushford, Minn.) — but it was not enough, as Carleton used a 22-9 second half run to pull away in handing the Cardinals a 77-61 MIAC setback at West Gym Monday evening.

Ortiz, who had not scored more than nine points in his first three games back from an injury that sidelined him the entire first semester, turned up the heat against the Knights, shooting 7-for-13 from the field — including 3 of 5 from the 3-point line — en route to his career-high 18-point night.

Vix, meanwhile, also tossed in three 3-pointers and was 5-for-8 from the field in pouring in 13 points — his highest offensive output in his two years in a Cardinal uniform. Will Swiggum (St. Charles, Minn.) was the third of the Cardinal trio in double figures, as the sophomore netted 11 points and added a team-best six rebounds.

The Cardinals got off to a sluggish start, as Carleton raced out to a 9-0 lead and held a 17-2 advantage with 13:04 remaining. SMU cut the lead to nine, 31-22, with 3:50 to play in the half, but the Knights closed out the game's opening 20 minutes on an 8-5 run to take a 39-27 cushion into the locker room at the break.

It was the Cardinals who came out of the halftime break on fire, as SMU scored the first eight points of the half to whittle Carleton's lead down to four, 39-35.

That, however, would be as close as the Cardinals would get, as Carleton answered with a 22-9 burst that put the game out of reach.

As a team, the Cardinals shot 39 percent from the field (25-for-63) and drained a season-high 10 3-pointers. Carleton, meanwhile, shot a blistering 57 percent from the field (34-for-60) and held a 45-24 rebounding advantage.

Taylor Hanson and Tianen Chen each scored 21 points for the Knights, while Hanson also added a game-high 14 rebounds. Mitchell Biewen chipped in 15 points and Beau Smith finished with 10 for Carleton, which improved to 4-3 in conference play and 6-6 overall.

The Cardinals (1-6 MIAC, 2-10 overall) are back in action on Wednesday, when they return home to host Hamline in a 7:30 p.m. conference game at the SMU Gym.