Box Score Box Score
ABERDEEN, S.D. – The defending Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament champion St. Scholastica men's basketball team took down the No. 4 seed Presentation College on the road with a 66-63 victory this evening in UMAC Tournament quarterfinal action.
The Saints improve to 10-16 overall and move on to face regular season champion and top-seeded Northwestern College on Thursday night in St. Paul. Presentation's season ends with a 12-14 record.
With their third trip to Aberdeen this year, one had to wonder whether the Saints would have tired legs from all the travel. That was not the case at the onset as CSS took an early 8-2 lead. The Saints went on a 7-0 run halfway through the opening half to go up by 12. Presentation responded with a 13-0 run to take its first lead of the game at 24-23 with 1:14 to go. #Logan Schultz# (
Jr.-Perham, Minn.) drilled a jumper to give CSS a 25-24 lead.
The Saints shot 44-percent in the first half, but did not make a 3-pointer and was just 1-for-1 from the free throw line. Presentation shot 36-percent in the half and had a 19-16 rebounding advantage.
Presentation took a 3-point lead at the start of the second half. The game remained tight with four ties in the first five minutes. CSS led from the 15-minute mark until the 9-minute mark when Presentation took over the lead. Presentation then had the advantage until the six minutes to go.
After the ninth tie of the half with 4:43 to go, #Danny Schmitz# (
Jr.-Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson) hit a 3-pointer to put the Saints up. With the lead down to one, #Jonah Dahlman# (
Fr.-Braham, Minn.) answered with a 3-pointer. Presentation cut it to one again with 11 seconds left, but Dahlman hit two free throws to put CSS up three. Presentation turned the ball over in the final seconds and never got a shot off as the Saints prevailed 66-63.
The Saints shot 54-percent in the second half to finish at 49-percent for the game. CSS was 12-for-15 from the free throw line and took over on the glass in the second half to finish with a 37-31 rebounding advantage. Presentation shot 50-percent in the second half to finish at 43-percent.
#Brett Tester# (
Fr.-Andover, Minn.) and
Danny Schmitz (Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson HS) each scored 15 points to lead the Saints. Tester also had a team-high seven rebounds.
Jonah Dahlman (Braham, Minn./Braham HS) added 14 points, seven of which coming in the final two minutes. Presentation had three players finish with 12 points.
The Saints and Eagles will get underway at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday night in UMAC semifinals. The game can be seen live on the web, courtesy of Northwestern College.
