The St. Scholastica Saints battled hard but were unable to overcome a strong second-half performance by the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons, ultimately falling 80-57 in a tough road matchup.

The first half was a competitive affair, with the Falcons taking an early lead. Despite St. Scholastica's efforts, including key contributions from freshman guard Jake Johnson, who hit a three-pointer early, and senior forward Matt Thompson, the Falcons were able to capitalize on fast breaks and solid defense to edge ahead. At the break, the Falcons led 37-26, but the Saints were still within striking distance.

In the second half, UW-River Falls came out with intensity, quickly extending their lead. The Falcons' fast-paced offense and sharp shooting proved to be too much for the Saints to handle, as they built a double-digit lead early in the half. St. Scholastica kept pushing, with Johnson and freshman guard Tyler Adams both hitting timely shots, but the Falcons' depth and defensive pressure were unrelenting.

Despite several attempts to mount a comeback, the Saints struggled to contain the Falcons' balanced attack. As the game progressed, UW-River Falls maintained control, running their offense efficiently and getting contributions from multiple players. The Falcons' defense kept St. Scholastica from finding any rhythm, and the game ended with a final score of 80-57 in favor of UW-River Falls.

While the Saints couldn't close the gap, they showed great determination throughout the game. Standout performances from Johnson and Thompson provided bright spots, and St. Scholastica will look to regroup and focus on building momentum as they head into their next matchup.

Top Performers of the Game

Koy Nelson (Port Wing, Wis./South Shore HS):
 The Junior guard was a standout for the Saints, finishing with a team-high 20 points. Despite shooting struggles from beyond the arc (2-10), Nelson was effective at getting to the line, where he converted 6 of 7 free throws. His leadership and scoring were critical in keeping the Saints in the game

Aaron Keykal (Princeton, Minn./Princeton HS): 

Keykal also had an impressive outing, scoring 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He was solid in the paint and provided a spark for the Saints with his efficiency, even though he didn't get to the free-throw line as much as Nelson.

Up Next

The Saints (4-7, 1-2 MIAC) will wrap up the Radisson Holiday Classic tomorrow, where they will take on UW-Stout at 3:00 p.m.