By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's basketball team returns to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Saturday, as the Cardinals travel to Augsburg's Si Melby Hall for a 1 p.m. showdown with the Auggies.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (0-1 MIAC, 1-3 Overall) at Augsburg Auggies (2-0 MIAC, 4-0 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—November 29, 2017 * St. Peter, Minn.: Kareem Anthony-Bello (Chicago, Ill.) enjoyed a career night in his first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference appearance Wednesday evening, pouring in a team-leading 16 points. Unfortunately, the Cardinal freshman's effort—not to mention a season-high 10 3-pointers—was not enough, as Gustavus handed Saint Mary's an 85-65 setback in the teams' conference-opener at Gus Young Court | Recap
• Augsburg—November 29, 2017 * Arden Hills, Minn.: Collin Olmscheid scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Auggies to an 87-74 win over Bethel at Robertson Center | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Augsburg—A Year Ago:
• January 11, 2017 * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals erupted for 106 points in their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown with Augsburg—just four points shy of the school-record, set against the University of Minnesota-Duluth during the 1952-53 season. Unfortunately, Augsburg equaled the Cardinals' long-standing school record—plus one—handing Saint Mary's a heartbreaking 111-106 overtime setback at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
• February 13, 2017 * Minneapolis, Minn.: It may not have been another 217-point offensive outburst like their first meeting, but Saint Mary's and Augsburg certainly poured in their fare share of points—combining for 46 field goals, including 14 3-pointers, and 179 points. As was the case the first time around—when Augsburg rallied for a 111-106 overtime victory—it was the Auggies who came out on top again, pulling away in the second half to deal Saint Mary's an 88-71 setback | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are back in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, entertaining Carleton in a 7 p.m. matchup at the Saint Mary's Gym.
• Augsburg: The Auggies return to their home court at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis, Minn., on Wednesday, hosting Gustavus in a 7 p.m. MIAC contest.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2017-18 Roster | 2017-18 Statistics | 2017-18 Schedule
• Saturday's conference-opener against Augsburg is the fourth straight road game for the Cardinals, who have collected five of their last seven wins on their home court. … For the second straight game, Kareem Anthony-Bello (Chicago, Ill.) put together a single-game career high Wednesday against Gustavus, scoring a team-best 16 points. Bello had scored a then-career-high 14 points against Concordia-Chicago last Saturday. … James Cullen (Western Springs, Ill.) also scored in double figures in the Cardinals' loss to Gustavus Wednesday, pouring in 12 points. … Cullen has now scored in double figures in three of Saint Mary's first four games—including a season- and career-high 24 points in the Cardinals' season-opening win over Martin Luther. … The Cardinals put a season-high five players in double figures in last Saturday's 86-76 loss to Concordia-Chicago. … Nate Urell (Fountain City, Wis.) and Jakob Bailey (Cameron, Wis.) scored career-highs of 14 and 11 points, respectively, against Concordia-Chicago last Saturday. … Saint Mary's has now had seven players record single-game career highs of 10 or more points this season—Cullen (24), Anthony-Bello (16), Urell (14), David Lindstrand (Lakeville, Minn. / 13), Sawyer Rosner (Phelps, Wis. / 12), Bailey (11), and Kristjan Meitz (Waukesha, Wis. / 10). … Along with his 14 points against Concordia-Chicago last Saturday, Anthony-Bello also hauled in a career-best 11 rebounds en route to his first collegiate double-double—and the Cardinals' first double-double of the season. … Saint Mary's enters Saturday's conference showdown against Augsburg boasting a pair of players—Cullen (13.0 ppg) and Anthony-Bello (12.0 ppg)—averaging in double figures. … Anthony-Bello is the team's rebounding leader with 27 (6.8 rpg). … Lindstrand boasts a team-high nine assists, while Anthony-Bello is the team-leader with seven steals, two more than Lindstrand. … The Cardinals have drained 30 3-pointers through four games—including a season-high 10 against Gustavus Wednesday. … Cullen leads the team with 10 3-pointers. … With their 89-75 win over Martin Luther on Nov. 15, the Cardinals have now opened their season with a win in each of their last four seasons—including back-to-back years with season-opening victories over the Knights. … The Cardinals' 89 points vs. Martin Luther on Nov. 15 marked their highest offensive performance of the season, and the most points scored since erupting for 106 points in a 111-106 loss to Augsburg on Jan. 11. The 106 points were just four shy of the school-record 110 points, set against UM-Duluth during the 1952-53 season. … The Cardinals scored 80 or more points four times last season.
 
Scouting The Augsburg Auggies:
2017-18 Roster | 2017-18 Statistics | 2017-18 Schedule
• With Wednesday's win over Bethel in a battle of previous unbeatens, the Auggies pushed their season-opening winning streak to four straight. … The Auggies' 87-point showing in their 87-74 win over Bethel Wednesday was a season high—and marked the third straight game in which Augsburg has scored 80 or more points. … Augsburg put three players in double figures against Bethel Wednesday, led by Collin Olmscheid with a game-high 23. Booker Coplin and Nick Sabatke each chipped in career-bests of 18 points. … Ten of Coplin's 18 points against Bethel Wednesday came from the free throw line, where he finished a perfect 10-for-10. … The Auggies head into Saturday's matchup against Saint Mary's boasting four players who are averaging in double figures—Olmscheid (21.3 ppg), Sabatke (12.5 ppg), Kevin McKiernan (11.8 ppg), and Coplin (10.8 ppg). … Olmscheid has now led the team in scoring in three of their four games—each time scoring 20 or more points. The senior netted 23 against both Northland and Bethel, while tossing in a season-best 25 in a win over UM-Morris. … Olmscheid, whose 21.3 ppg average is second in the MIAC, also leads the Auggies with 23 rebounds (5.8 rpg), two more than Coplin (21 / 5.3 rpg). … Harry Sonie owns a team-leading 23 assists, while Coplin has amassed a team-high nine steals. … The Auggies are shooting 48 percent from the field (110f-ro231) through four games and have drained 37 3-pointers—including a season-high 11 against Bethel Wednesday. … Eight players have accounted for Augsburg's 37 3-pointers, led by Olmscheid with nine and Sabatke with eight. … Augsburg, which is averaging 80.0 ppg, has outscored its opponents 320-257—151-129 in the first half and 169-128 in the second.