Box Score Box Score
DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team shot 60-percent in the second half as it rallied from a six-point halftime deficit to defeat Northland College 68-62 on Alumni Day today at Reif Gym.
The Saints improve to 6-9 overall and 3-2 in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) action. The LumberJacks fall to 2-12 overall and 1-4 in conference play. CSS is 34-8 all-time against Northland and have won seven of the last eight meetings, including the last three.
The Saints took an 8-4 lead following a #Danny Schmitz# (So.-Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson) 3-pointer. Schmitz had five of the first eight points. The LumberJacks then went on a 15-0 run to take a 19-8 lead with 11 minutes to go in the half. CSS followed with an 11-2 run to cut the margin to 21-19. The Jacks held on to the lead and went into halftime with a 29-23 advantage.
The Saints shot just 31-percent in the first half, while Northland shot 48-percent. CSS did not attempt a free throw and were out-scored 18-8 in the paint. The Saints had seven second-chance points, while limiting the Jacks to zero.
CSS regained the lead three minutes into the second half when following a technical foul by Northland, #Jesse Taylor# (Sr.-Superior, Wis./Maranatha Academy) connected on two free throws and #Chris Hamers# (So.-Onamia, Minn.) nailed a 3-pointer to make it 34-31. The LumberJacks scored the next five points to get the lead back at 36-34. Danny Schmitz (Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson HS) responded with a 3-pointer to give CSS lead and the Saints would not give it back.
CSS went up nine with nine minutes to play, but Northland got right back into the game after a 3-pointer cut the lead to two with 5:27 to play. Chris Hamers (Onamia, Minn./Onamia HS) hit a 3-pointer to make it a five-point lead. Jesse Taylor (Superior, Wis./Maranatha Academy) made four free throws to make it nine-point lead and the Saints held on to win from there 68-62.
St. Scholastica shot 43-percent for the game and hit 10 3-point field goals. The Saints were 16-for-19 from the charity stripe in the second half. The LumberJacks shot 50-percent for the game and out-scored the Saints 32-18 in the paint.
Chris Hamers (Onamia, Minn./Onamia HS) led the Saints with 21 points as he was 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. Danny Schmitz (Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson HS) added 15 points. #Troy Miller# (Sr.-Stillwater, Minn.) and Jesse Taylor (Superior, Wis./Maranatha Academy) also scored in double-figures with 12 and 10 points respectively. Taylor also had a team-high nine rebounds. Ryan Cannata had 16 points to pace the LumberJacks.
The Saints will be on the road next weekend beginning with a contest at Martin Luther College on Friday. The tip-off for that game is scheduled for approximately 7:30 p.m., following the women's game.
