Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University sophomore wing Chris Schwartz (Sioux Falls, S.D./Lincoln) scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Johnnies to a 77-67 win over Saint Mary's Saturday, Jan. 3 in Collegeville.

Schwartz scored 18 points in the second half and was 10 of 19 from the floor, including 6-for-12 from three-point range.

Freshman wing Andrew Latzke (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) added 15 points off the bench, while sophomore wing Aaron Burtzel (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) added 16 rebounds for SJU (6-3, 4-0 MIAC). Sophomore wing Todd Herman (Spicer, Minn./New London-Spicer) and freshman point guard Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Will Wright led the Cardinals with 26 points, including a 10-for-10 performance from the free-throw line, and Lukas Holland added 18.

SJU, which shot 45 percent from the field (25-for-55) and drained 10 three-pointers, led by as many as 22 points, 59-37, before Saint Mary's (2-8, 1-4 MIAC) went on a 30-18 run in the game's final nine minutes.

With the win, SJU head coach Jim Smith is now 67-20 in his career against SMU, including a 43-1 record at home. Smith is now nine wins away from 700 for his career (691-476 record).

The Johnnies return to action Monday, Jan. 5 as they play host to St. Olaf for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off at Sexton Arena in Collegeville.

Notes: SJU has now won 34 of the last 42 meetings between the two schools…the Johnnies have now won 39 consecutive games at home against SMU, 35 of which have come in the Warner Palaestra…the only home loss to the Cardinals under the direction of Jim Smith was in 1968, when SJU still played in the Old Gym.