The Johnnies continue non-conference action by traveling to face St. Cloud State this Friday, Nov. 20. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. (Listen Live (in progress due to SJU Hockey) | Live Stats | Live Video). The Johnnies will then take on MSU-Moorhead at 6 p.m. on Saturday Nov. 21 (Listen Live | Live Stats | Live Video). Both games will be played at Halenbeck Hall in St. Cloud (Directions).
Preview Video:
-Head Coach Jim Smith (2:37)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's dropped its season opener to No. 10 Wis.-Stevens Point 81-57 in the season opener for both teams on Sunday, Nov. 15, in Collegeville. The Pointers scored 15 points off the Johnnies' eight turnovers in the first half to build a 40-19 at halftime. SJU shot 22.7 percent (5-22) from the field in the game's first 20 minutes. The Johnnies doubled their first-half output in both points (38-19) and shooting percentage (46.7-22.7 percent) in the second half. Sophomore Andrew Latzke (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) led SJU with 13 points on five of 10 shooting, including 3-for-6 from behind the arc. Junior Nermin Hujdurovic (Tuzla, Bosnia/Medical) added 11, while junior Aaron Burtzel (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) tallied eight points and 10 rebounds.
A LOOK AT THE HUSKIES: The Huskies begin their season this Friday when they take on the Johnnies. SCSU returns four of its starters from a 2008-09 squad that posted a 22-9 record overall and a 14-6 record in the NSIC. The Huskies tied for third in the NSIC and earned a No. 2 seed in the 2009 NCAA Central Regional Tournament. A preseason All-America honorable mention selection (The Sporting News), senior Matt Schneck returns after averaging 14 points and a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game last winter. The Huskies were ranked No. 10 in The Sporting News Basketball Preview and were predicted to win the NSIC in the preseason coaches' poll.
THE LAST MEETING: SCSU posted an 85-59 victory over the Johnnies in the last meeting on Nov. 22, 2008, in Collegeville. Junior wing Chris Schwartz (Sioux Falls, S.D./Lincoln) led all scorers with 19 points and added five rebounds, while Burtzel tallied 12 points and five boards. Sophomore wing Aaron Barmore (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) added 10 for SJU, which shot 52.4% in the first half (43.1% in the game). SCSU posted a 46-27 rebounding advantage, including an 18-6 edge on the offensive glass. The Huskies scored 19 second-chance points and 20 points off of 15 Johnnie turnovers in the game. Both teams combined for nine of 34 from three-point range (26.5%). – Box Score
A LOOK AT THE DRAGONS: MSU-Moorhead enters this weekend 1-0 after posting a 74-67 victory over the University of Mary (N.D.) on Nov. 15. Sophomore Dennis Williamson led the Dragons with 18 points, while sophomore Jake Driscoll and senior Jerome Nelson added 15 and 13 points, respectively. Last year, the Dragons finished with a 10-16 record and a 16-10 record in the NSIC. MSU looks to replace three of their starters with a young team consisting of two seniors, two juniors and 12 underclassmen.
THE LAST MEETING: The last time these two institutions met on the hardwood was in the first round of the 1982 NAIA District 13 Playoffs, in which the Dragons pulled out a 77-59 win in Collegeville. The Johnnies out-rebounded the Dragons 46-44, led by sophomore John Wiehoff with 15 boards and 16 points. Junior Ron Lippert tallied 12 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for SJU. The Dragons were led by Mike Howard and Manuel Stancil with 22 and 20 points, respectively. MSU-Moorhead went on to defeat MIAC-champion Concordia-Moorhead to gain entry into the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo.
