Notables
-Most points allowed in a half since 2001
-First time CSS allowed over 100 points in regulation vs. a DIII program since Northwestern in 2003
-Most combined points in regulation (202) since 2004
-CSS had seven players score in double-figures
-CSS' Johnson with a career-high 22 points
DUBUQUE, Iowa (
csssaints.com) – Loras College (Iowa) scored 61 first half points and then held off the St. Scholastica men's basketball team in the second half to defeat the Saints 108-94 on Friday.
First Half
Julius Johnson (Minneapolis, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) scored the first five points for the Saints as CSS led 5-2 early.
Dylan Zimmerman (Elmdale, Minn./Upsala HS) then gave St. Scholastica a 12-11 advantage four minutes in. However, following that bucket, the Duhawks went on a 16-4 run to take a 27-16 lead.
Loras continued to grow its margin the rest of the half, leading by as much as 20 before
Zach Dahlman (Braham, Minn./Braham HS) drained a 3-pointer to make the halftime score 61-44. The 61 points allowed by the Saints are the most allowed in a half since Michigan Tech University scored 67 points in the first half in December of 2001. Loras shot 64 percent from the floor in the half
Second Half Comeback
The Duhawks scored the first seven points of the second half to take a 68-44 lead, which would be their largest of the contest. St. Scholastica, though, would not fold and scored 23 of the next 30 points over the following five minutes to cut the Loras lead to eight with 12:30 remaining. CSS was 8-of-9 from the floor during that stretch with
Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) scoring nine points.
Loras climbed the lead back to 13 with over nine minutes to go, thanks to the free throw line. However, the Saints had another run in them as a little later they went on an 8-0 run to make it an 88-84 game with 6:30 remaining.
Unfortunately, every time CSS got within four, the Duhawks had an answer, by either converting a bucket or getting to the foul line on the ensuing possession. Loras finished the game on a 15-5 run to close out the Saints 108-94.
Top Performances for CSS
A total of seven Saints scored in double-figures. Johnson led the way with a career-high 22 points. Dahlman added a career-high 18 points, including 13 in the second half, and a grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Newman scored 12 points, Zimmerman and
Joe Stark (Hayward, Wis./Hayward HS) each had 11 points and
Kory Deadrick (Esko, Minn./Esko HS) and
Collin Anderson (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) each chipped in 10 points. The Saints were 21-of-29 from the free throw line.
Top Performances for the Opponent
Ryan DiCanio led six Duhawks in double figures with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Christian Mathis added 19 points and eight rebounds. Loras was 25-for-29 from the foul line and outscored the Saints 60-30 in the paint and 22-2 in fastbreak points.
Up Next
The Saints (5-7) are back at home on Monday when they host another Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) squad in Nebraska Wesleyan University. The matinee will begin at 2 p.m. All of the action can be seen live on Saints Sports Net.
