Box Score Box Score
DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team opened up conference play tonight with a 66-60 victory over previously unbeaten Northwestern College at Reif Gym.
The Saints get to .500 with the victory with a 3-3 overall record. CSS has won its last three conference openers. Northwestern falls to an overall record of 4-1. The Saints end a two-game skid to the Eagles.
The Saints held the lead early as #Kyle Allen# (Sr.-Black River Falls, Wis.) scored seven of the first 12 points. The Eagles took their first lead halfway through the first half at 18-17. The Saints then went on a 6-0 run to take a 29-20 lead with four minutes to go in the half. Kyle Allen (Black River Falls, Wis./Black River Falls HS) scored his ninth point of the half to give CSS a 12-point lead with 2:15 on the clock. Northwestern scored the last four points as the score was 34-26 at the break.
The Saints shot 46-percent in the first half and held Northwestern to 42-percent shooting. St. Scholastica out-scored the Eagles 22-12 inside.
The Eagles started the second half on a 7-0 run to cut the CSS lead to one point. The Saints then scored the next six points to get margin back up to seven. Northwestern came right back and cut the lead to one again. The Eagles tied it up and eventually regained the lead with eight minutes to go.
With the Eagles up by two, #Jesse Taylor# (Sr.-Superior, Wis./Maranatha Academy) would hit a couple of free throws to tie it up and then steal a pass and lay it in to give the Saints a 50-48 edge with five minutes to go. CSS did not look back, going on an 8-0 run and hitting 8-of-8 free throws in the final four minutes to prevail by a score of 66-60.
The Saints shot 46-percent from the field and was 17-for-18 from the charity stripe. The Eagles shot 42-percent and committed 19 turnovers. CSS out-scored the Eagles 36-30 in the paint.
Jesse Taylor (Superior, Wis./Maranatha Academy) had a season-high 16 points to lead St. Scholastica. Kyle Allen (Black River Falls, Wis./Black River Falls HS) also had a season-high of 13 points. #Troy Miller# (Sr.-Stillwater, Minn.) just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. Stephen Hanson had a double-double for the Eagles with a game-high 19 points and 14 rebounds.
The Saints will be at home again tomorrow when they host Crown College in a conference matchup at approximately 5:30 p.m. following the women's contest at Reif Gym.
