Box Score
DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team started on a 20-8 run, including a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range, to open the game, but fell to University of Minnesota, Crookston 79-53 Tuesday night at Reif Gymnasium.
The Saints started out strong with
Brett Tester (Andover, Minn./Andover HS) scoring the game's first four points. The Saints opening run was aided mostly by the hot hand of
Chris Hamers (Onamia, Minn./Onamia HS), who was 4-for-4 from 3-point range to start off the game. The Saints' full court press flustered the Crookston players in the early stages of the game and that allowed the Saints to pull away early.
As the half continued Crookston was able to get back on track with their own 16-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 5:52 left in the first half. The teams then traded basket for basket and the Saints trailed 35-30 at halftime. The Saints led by as many as 13 in the first half.
A slow start by the Saints to begin the second half allowed Crookston to go on a 25-4 run to begin the second half of action. Crookston used 12 second chance points to help build its lead. The Saints were unable to put together another run to cut into that lead and fell 79-53.
Crookston's largest lead of the game was 30 points. Crookston scored 27 points off of turnovers, compared to just nine by the Saints. The Saints were also out rebounded 52-22, with the Saints grabbing only eight second half rebounds.
Chris Hamers (Onamia, Minn./Onamia HS) led the Saints with 14 points, followed by
Brett Tester (Andover, Minn./Andover HS) with 11.
Cole Mortel (Luck, Wis./Luck HS) added seven points off the bench and
MarShaan Johnson (Minneapolis, Minn./Minneapolis North HS (Minneapolis Comm. & Tech. College)) also added seven.
Jonah Dahlman (Braham, Minn./Braham HS) added six points and had five assists.
Crookston was led by Akeem Cubie with 22 points. Abdou Niang had a double-double for the Golden Eagles as well.
The Saints shot 37-percent from the field including 33-percent from beyond the arc. Crookston (2-0) shot 48-percent from the field and 27-percent from beyond the arc.
Up next for the Saints (0-4) is a trip to Hancock, Mich. to face Finlandia University next Wednesday. Tip time is 6 p.m. local time.
