Box Score Notables
-Carslon leads CSS players with 25 points
-CSS trimmed 23-point lead to just three points in second half
-Winesett score 16 of his 20 points in second half
 
SAINT PETER, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team fell just short of a miraculous comeback in a road matchup with Gustavus. The Saints outscored the Gusties 45-39 in the second half, but ultimately, Gustavus took the matchup over CSS by a score of 81-75.
 
First Half
Nick Carlson (Canyon, Minn./South Ridge HS) got the Saints going early on for the Saints. After Gustavus took an early lead, Carlson and Isiah Hendrickson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) both converted second-chance points, to make the score 7-4 in the early minutes.
 
The Gusties offense then went on a 15-2 run, extending the lead to 22-6, before Noah Winesett (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) helped stop the scoring drought with a layup.
 
Following Winesett's layup, Luke Raymond (Hudson, Wis./Concordia Academy (UW-River Falls)) got a thunderous dunk to fall, making it 22-10 in favor of the Gusties.
 
Hendrickson made his presence be felt over the next couple of minutes, scoring a pair of layups, helping trim the deficit to 12 points.
 
Carlson and Connor Bich (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown HS (Dakota Wesleyan)) then added to the Saints offense, with Carlson scoring a layup, and Bich hitting his first three-pointer of the game, making it 29-19.
 
Gustavus took a 12-point lead heading into the second half over CSS, leading 42-30.
 
Second Half
Raymond scored the first points for CSS in the second half, converting a second-chance layup, to make it a 12-point deficit for CSS.
 
Just seconds later, Raymond converted another second-chance basket, this time being dunk, as Gustavus still led the Saints by a score of 46-34.
 
Over the course of the next six minutes, both teams went back-and-forth trading baskets, with Gustavus expanding its lead to as much as 22 points.
 
With right around six minutes to play, the Saints went to work, starting with a Winesett three-pointer, in an attempt to kickstart the Saints' offense.
 
Carlson then scored on a fast break dunk off of a Saints steal, which was followed by a Jeff Moore (Richfield, Minn./Richfield HS) second-chance layup a few possessions later, to cut the deficit to 17 points.
 
CSS was able to get in the bonus early, which was very crucial as Carlson and Kevin Thomas (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS) took advantage of, converting their free throws in a turning point in the game.
 
With three minutes to play, Winesett converted his own free throws to make it 74-64, and on the Saints' next possession, Winesett drew a foul on a three-pointer, which he hit all three of his free throws, making it a seven-point game.
 
Thomas got a key three-pointer to go with two minutes to play, giving CSS a real shot at making an incredible comeback, trailing by just four points.
 
The comeback however, was short-lived, as Gustavus was able to ice the game and took this matchup by a score of 81-75.
 
Up Next
The Saints (3-9, 2-5 MIAC) will be back in action next on Saturday, where they will host Saint Mary's at Reif Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.