Box Score MANKATO, Minn. – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team was unable to overcome a hot start by Bethany Lutheran and some missed opportunities at the free throw line midway through the second half doomed the Saints as they had their three-game winning streak snapped by the Vikings by a score of 65-58 Friday night.
The Saints entered the night 1-0 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) and were riding a three-game win streak. Bethany Lutheran was also 1-0 in the UMAC, hosting its first home conference game of the season.
To start out the contest, the Vikings jumped out to a 13-4 lead with just under five minutes gone. The Saints would weather the storm and cut the lead to 15-11 with 9:05 left to play in the first half. The Vikings would eventually have a 31-28 to end the half, with neither team scoring in the last minutes of the first half.
The second half was much the same as the Vikings would extend the lead; with the Saints climbing back to be either down four or five points each time the Vikings looked to break away. A key moment in the second half was when the Saints had three opportunities for a one-and-one, having the possibility to tie the game if all were made, but failed all three times to connect at the charity stripe. The Saints would never be able to overcome the lead and fell 65-58.
The Vikings (4-9, 2-0 UMAC) were led with three players in double figures, scoring 17, 13, and 13 points respectively. They would shoot 42-percent from the field, 21-percent from beyond the arc, and 69-percent from the charity stripe.
The Saints were led by
Brett Tester (Andover, Minn./Andover HS) who had a team-high 16 points.
Jonah Dahlman (Braham, Minn./Braham HS) added 10 points and 10 boards for his second double-double in the last three games.
MarShaan Johnson (Minneapolis, Minn./Minneapolis North HS (Minneapolis Comm. & Tech. College)) added nine points as well. The Saints would shoot 37-percent from the field, 20-percent from beyond the arc, and 66-percent from the charity stripe.
Up next for the Saints (4-9, 1-1 UMAC) will be a conference matchup against Martin Luther College in New Ulm tomorrow with tip time scheduled for 5 p.m.
