Box Score Box Score
DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team won its fourth game in a row and tied Minnesota-Morris for third place in the conference with a 52-44 victory tonight at Reif Gym.
Both teams now have identical 10-10 overall records and 6-3 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) records. Both teams have also won nine games in the all-time series. CSS has won seven of the last eight meetings.
The Saints jumped out to a very quick start, taking a 9-0 lead with five points being scored by #Danny Schmitz# (
So.-Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson). The Cougars scored their first point 5:34 into the contest. With the score 22-13 CSS with five minutes to play in the first half, the Saints closed the half on a 9-0 run to go into the locker room with a 31-13 advantage. The 13 points are the fewest points scored in a half by a St. Scholastica opponent this season. The all-time record is nine points by the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1998.
The Saints shot 42-percent in the half, while Minnesota-Morris was just 20-percent from the field. The Cougars scored 12 of their 13 points in the paint in the half.
The lead was 20 after #Max Dibrell# (
Jr.-Duluth, Minn./East) scored the first points of the second half. CSS was up 42-23 with less than 13 minutes to go in the game when it went cold from the field and the Cougars went on a 12-0 run to cut the lead to seven with seven minutes left. The lead got down to five with 2:40 left, but #Jesse Taylor# (
Sr.-Superior, Wis./Maranatha Academy) and
Danny Schmitz (Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson HS) hit back-to-back lay-ups to seal the victory as the Saints went on to win 52-44.
CSS shot just 25-percent in the second half to finish at 34-percent for the game. Morris finished at 30-percent from the field for the game.
Danny Schmitz (Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson HS) had 16 points to lead the way for the Saints. #Troy Mille#r (
Sr.-Stillwater, Minn.) added his fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Kendall Proell had 11 points to lead the Cougars.
The Saints will host Presentation College tomorrow at Reif Gym in the Burns Wellness Commons. The tip-off is scheduled for approximately 5 p.m., following the women's game.
