Notables
-CSS made only nine field goals in the second half
-Newman becomes fifth player in program history to eclipse 1,400 career points
-Anderson made five of the team's seven 3-point field goals.
-BLC tied for first in the UMAC
DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – Sophomore
Collin Anderson (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) scored 28 points in the first half and the St. Scholastica men's basketball team led by 10 at the break, but it wasn't enough as Bethany Lutheran College held the Saints to 27 points in the second half to come back and win 80-74 Saturday at the Reif Gymnasium.
How it Happened
The lead changed hands eight times in the first 20 minutes of action and the score was tied five times. Neither team led by more than six until very late in the half. Anderson single-handedly would lift the Saints in the first half with foul trouble keeping
Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) and
Jarod Wilken (Annandale, Minn./Annandale HS) on the bench.
Anderson scored 28 points in 13 minutes in the first half. He had stretches of 13 straight CSS points midway through the half and then scored the final 10 points of the half to put the Saints up 47-37 as the teams went to the locker room.
However, it was a tale of two halves for Anderson and the Saints. Anderson would be held to just two points in the second half as the Vikings (13-5, 8-1 UMAC) would clamp down defensively, getting the Saints out of rhythm.
A
Quinn Fischer (Esko, Minn./Esko HS) three-point-play put CSS up 12 with 16:24 to go. The Vikings responded with an 11-0 run to cut the lead to one. Bethany eventually regained the lead with 9:35 to go.
Newman would be the only offense for the Saints in the half as he scored 14 of the team's final 18 points. The Saints led 66-64 with six minutes remaining, but the Vikings went on a 7-0 run to take a five-point lead, their largest of the game up to that point.
A Newman lay-up got the Saints within two with 30 seconds remaining. However, Bethany went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final 30 seconds to win 80-74.
Top Performances for CSS
Anderson finished with a game-high 30 points. Newman had 19 points. Wilken, Fischer and
Chance Larson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Denfeld HS) each grabbed six rebounds.
Top Performances for BLC
Jared Milinkovich led five Vikings in double-figures with 21 points. Jarred Merchant had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Up Next
The Saints (8-9, 5-4 UMAC) wrap up their three-game home stand against North Central University (Minn.) on Wednesday at The Reif. Action is slated to begin at 7:15 p.m.
