By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's basketball team steps out of conference play on Thursday, playing host to Martin Luther in a 7 p.m. nonconference game at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (5-1 Overall) vs. Martin Luther Knights (2-7 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's — December 11, 2019 * Leonard Center Gym * St. Paul, Minn.: Eli Cave (St. Paul, Minn.) scored 19 points to lead three players in double figures, as the Cardinals pushed its winning streak to three with a 75-69 conference win over Macalester | Recap
• Martin Luther — December 17, 2019 * LSC Gymnasium * New Ulm, Minn.: Wisconsin Lutheran used a late, second-half 12-0 run to deal the Knights a 75-67 setback | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Martin Luther — A Year Ago:
• November 17, 2018 * LSC Gymnasium * New Ulm, Minn.: Eli Cave (St. Paul, Minn.) scored a career-high 35 points as the Cardinals cruised to a 79-63 nonconference win over the Knights | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are now off until Dec. 30-31, when they head to Wheaton, Ill., to take part in the Wheaton (Ill.) Holiday Tournament. Saint Mary's will face host Wheaton at 7 p.m. on Dec. 30, with their opponent and game time the following day to be determined.
• Martin Luther: The Knights are now off until Jan. 8, when they return home to the LSC Gymnasium in New Ulm, Minn., for a UMAC showdown against St. Scholastica.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2019-20 Roster | 2019-20 Schedule | 2019-20 Statistics
• Thursday's game against Martin Luther is the fifth home game in their first seven contests for the Cardinals, who are 3-1 on their home court this season. … With their 75-59 win over Macalester on Dec. 11, the Cardinals pushed their winning streak to three. … Saint Mary's heads into Thursday's nonconference showdown against Martin Luther boasting a 5-1 overall record — their best start since 2010-11, when Saint Mary's opened the year 8-1. … Eli Cave (St. Paul, Minn.) scored a team-high 19 points in the Cardinals' 75-59 win over Macalester on Dec. 11 — it marked the sixth time in as many games this season that Cave has led the team in scoring. … Kareem Anthony-Bello (Chicago, Ill.) and Jacob Chilson (Eau Claire, Wis.) each chipped in 10 points against the Scots on Dec. 11, while three other players — Raheem Anthony (Chicago, Ill.), Kevin Gleason (Minneapolis, Minn.), and Shawn Pickford (Minneapolis, Minn.) — all chipped in nine points. … Anthony missed his third consecutive double-double against Macalester on Dec. 11, adding 10 rebounds to his nine-point effort. … Anthony — who posted career-highs in points (26) and rebounds (11) in recording his first collegiate double-double against Luther on Nov. 30 — owns both of the Cardinals' double-doubles this season. … The Cardinals put five players in double figures in their 103-97 overtime win over Luther on Nov. 30. It was the second time in six games this season that Saint Mary's has had five players score 10 or more points in the same game. … Cave scored a game-high 27 points, while Anthony chipped in 26 against Luther on Nov. 30 — marking the first time this season the Cardinals have had two players with 20 or more points in the same game. Saint Mary's achieved that feat three times a year ago. … Cave has eclipsed the 20-point barrier four times this season and 14 times in his collegiate career. … Greg Martin (Oklahoma City, Okla.) scored a career-high 13 points against Luther on Nov. 30. … Cave enters Thursday's nonconference game against Martin Luther leading the team in scoring, averaging 21.6 ppg — third in the MIAC. … Anthony (11.3 ppg) and Anthony-Bello (10.3 ppg) are also averaging in double figures heading into the Martin Luther matchup. … Anthony, who has recorded 10 or more rebounds in each of the Cardinals' last three games, leads the team with 47 rebounds (7.8 rpg), while also owning a team-high 17 assists — one more than both Cave and Martin. … Cave is the team-leader with nine blocks and 14 steals. … Saint Mary's, which drained a single-season school record 233 3-pointers last season — including a single-game school-record 14 against Gustavus on Dec. 5 — has knocked down 10 or more 3-points in a game three times, including a season-high 11 against Crown on Nov. 15. … Cave owns a team-best 18 3-pointers — and is sitting sixth in NCAA Division III in 3-point percentage (18-for-32, 56.3%). … Gleason is second to Cave with 14 3-pointers — the duo have accounted for 32 of the team's 53 3-pointers this season. … As a team, Saint Mary's is 169-for-363 (.466) from the field — including 53-for-136 (.390) from behind the arc — and is 67-for-104 (.644) from the free throw line. … The Cardinals' 103-point effort in beating Luther 103-97 on Nov. 30 was their highest single-game offensive output since pouring in 106 points in a 111-106 overtime loss to Augsburg on Jan. 11, 2017. … The Cardinals have scored 80 or more points in a game eight times in the last two seasons. … The Cardinals' 77-63 loss to No. 14 Saint John's on Nov. 26 snapped their season-opening two-game winning streak. … With its 80-74 win over St. Olaf on Nov. 23, Saint Mary's snapped a 12-game losing streak against the Oles. It was the Cardinals' first win over St. Olaf since Jan. 16, 2013, when Saint Mary's posted a 66-57 victory. … With their 68-52 win over Crown Nov. 15, the Cardinals have now beaten Crown in their season-opener in back-to-back years — Saint Mary's season-opening win over Crown a year ago was the first collegiate coaching victory for Joe Fano. … Thanks to its 68-52 win over Crown on Nov. 15, Saint Mary's is now 6-0 in its last six season-openers.
 
Scouting The Martin Luther Knights:
2019-20 Roster | 2019-20 Schedule | 2019-20 Statistics
• After three straight home games, the Knights play two of their next three contests on the road. MLC is 1-4 at home this season, while going 1-3 away from the LSC Gymnasium in New Ulm, Minn. … Tuesday's 75-67 loss to Wisconsin Lutheran was Martin Luther's second straight setback — and seventh in its last eight contests. … MLC's last four losses have all been by eight points or less. … Jacob Price scored a team-high 16 points against Wisconsin Lutheran Tuesday, while Micah Kieselhorst (11) and Jack Heichelbech (10) also finished in double figures. … Heichelbech enters Thursday's matchup against Saint Mary's leading the team with a 10.6 ppg scoring average, percentage points in front of Austin DeNoyer (10.3 ppg) and Joey Behm (10.0 ppg). … Ethan Eisenmann owns a team-best 59 rebounds (6.6 rpg), followed by Ian Paulsen (49, 7.0 rpg) and Jonathan Riebe (33, 3.7 rpg). … Paulsen has dished out a team-high 20 assists, one ore than Joseph Hirsch, while Heichelbech, Hirsch, and Eisenmann own the team lead in steals with 11 each. … As a team, the Knights are shooting 41.2 percent from the field (268-for-651), while going 60-for-101 (59.4%) from the free throw line. … MLC has hit 58 3-pointers through nine games, led by Riebe (9), Hirsch (8), DeNoyer (7), and Heichelbech (7). … Martin Luther, which is averaging 72.6 ppg, has scored 80 or more points in both of its wins this season — netting 80 in dropping Maranatha Baptist 80-72 on Dec. 14, while netting a season-high 104 in a 104-37, season-opening win over Oak Hills Christian on Nov. 15.