Box Score  | GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn. — There's something about playing Saint John's that brings out the best in Saint Mary's University's Evan Pederson (Onalaska, Wis.).

In the team's first meeting on Dec. 7 in Collegeville, Minn., the Cardinal junior poured in a then-season high 20 points in SMU's 68-57 loss.

And on Saturday afternoon, Pederson was at it again, scoring 13 points in the first half in leading the Cardinals to a three-point, 34-31, halftime advantage.

Unfortunately for Pederson — and the Cardinals — the second half was not nearly as memorable, as SJU held the hot-shooting Pederson to just six points, while outscoring SMU 50-26 en route to an 81-60 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory at the SMU Gym.

The Cardinals came out firing in the first half, using back-to-back 3-pointers from Ronnie Ortiz (Dayton, Ohio) and Wylie Ferron (Waconia, Minn.) to grab their first lead of the game, 16-13.

SMU would build its lead to as many as seven, 26-19, only to have SJU use a 10-2 run to regain the lead, 29-28, with 3:41 remaining in the first half. The Cardinals rebounded by closing out the half scoring six of the final eight points to take a 34-31 lead into the locker room at the break.

The Cardinals shot 58 percent from the field, hitting on 15 of 26 field goals — including a perfect 4-for-4 effort from the 3-point line. SJU, meanwhile, was 13-for-27 from the field (48 percent), but was a dismal 1-for-8 from behind the arc.

Over the game's final 20 minutes, it was the Johnnies who carried the hot hand, shooting 63 percent from the field (20-for-32) — including five 3s — while the Cardinals were just 6 of 21 from the field and 2-for-7 from 3-point range.

SJU scored four of the first five points to open the second half, tying the game at 35-35, before going on a seven-minute, 11-3 run to grab a 46-38 advantage. The Johnnies would continue to pull away — thanks in part to an 18-3 burst — to put the game out of reach.

Pederson finished with a team- and game-high 19 points, while Ferron and Ortiz also finished in double figures for the Cardinals, scoring 13 and 10 points, respectively.

Seth Marx equaled Pederson's 19-point effort for the Johnnies, while also recording seven rebounds and five assists. Alex Schmitt chipped in 16 points for SJU, which moved to 6-5 in conference play and 8-8 overall.

The Cardinals return to action on Wednesday, traveling to Northfield, Minn., for a 7:30 p.m. conference contest against St. Olaf.