Notables
-CSS improves to 14-1 this season when scoring at least 40 points in a half
-Gray grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds
-Seventh straight win over Finlandia
-Third straight season with at least 15 wins
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – Junior
Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) scored a career-high 27 points as the St. Scholastica men's basketball team extended its win streak to nine games following a 84-71 non-conference victory over Finlandia University (Mich.) at the Reif Gymnasium on Wednesday.
The Action
The Lions (4-15) hung with the Saints for much of the first half with the Saints not leading by more than eight points for the first 16 minutes. Finlandia's only lead of the game came at 7-6 four minutes into the contest.
CSS extended its lead to as much 12 before the Lions scored six straight to cut it back to six with a minute to go. Newman then scored his 16
th and 17
th point of the half to make the halftime score 42-34.
The Lions shot 52 percent from the floor in the half, but still trailed by eight thanks to the Saints out-scoring Finlandia 11-0 in second-chance points.
Finlandia scored the first five points of the second half to make it a three-point game, but the Saints responded with a 13-0 run over 2:26 to put the margin at 16 with 17 minutes to go.
The Lions got the lead cut down to nine with 11 minutes remaining, but back-to-back 3-pointers by
Collin Anderson (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) and
Nate Weets (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet HS) put it back at 15. CSS held the double-digit lead the rest of the way to win 84-71.
Top Performances for CSS
Newman finished with a career-high 27 points and added five rebounds and four assists. Anderson added 11 points off the bench and
Zach Dahlman (Braham, Minn./Braham HS) finished with 10 points.
Connor Gray (Superior, Wis./Superior HS) grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds.
Top Performances for the Opponent
Brandon Robinette led four Lions in double-figures with 16 points and also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
Up Next
The Saints (15-7) head to the University of Northwestern (Minn.) on Saturday for a pivotal Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) matchup. The action is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
