SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The first game of 2026 was a rollercoster for the Saint Mary's men's basketball team (1-12, 0-4 MIAC) as they fell to Macalester (6-7, 1-3 MIAC) 89-77 in a league matchup at Leonard Center. 

Saint Mary's held a narrow 37-36 lead at halftime, but Macalester surged ahead with a 53-point second half. The Cardinals were led by their defensive effort, recording 11 steals, while capitalizing on 17 points off turnovers.

Saint Mary's opened the first half with a strong defensive presence, managing four steals and two blocks. 

John Palmer's layup at 13:01, following his own steal, gave the Cardinals a 16-14 lead, prompting a Macalester timeout. The teams exchanged leads multiple times, but Sawyer Markham's 3-pointer at 1:48, assisted by Reid Klug, gave the Cardinals the edge. 

The half concluded with Saint Mary's leading the Scots 37-36.

Saint Mary's struggled to keep pace in the second half as Macalester's Noah Shannon led a quick surge, scoring multiple times in the paint. 

Klug provided some resistance with a layup and a successful free throw at 16:55, narrowing the gap slightly. Despite this, the Scots maintained momentum and extended their lead with contributions from several players at 12:46. 

The Cardinals continued to fight back with a late rally, featuring a three-pointer by Markham at 3:37 and a layup by Abraham Kamara at 0:46. However, the Scots' consistent scoring ensured their advantage, and the half ended with a 53-40 edge for the Scots. 

The game concluded with a final score of 89-77 in favor of Macalester.

Klug led the team with 20 points, one shy of his career best, converting 8-of-9 free throws and recording three steals. Markham scored 17 points, including four 3-pointers, and collected five rebounds. Jackson Harvey posted a double-double with 10 rebounds and added two blocks. Palmer contributed three steals and three assists while scoring five points.

The team will travel to Bethel on Wednesday, Jan. 7 for a 7:00 p.m. tip off for their next game.