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NEW ULM, Minn. – Saint John's used a 24-0 run near the end of the first half to build a 44-19 halftime lead enroute to a 79-58 non-conference win at Martin Luther on Wednesday, Dec. 1.

SJU (4-1, 0-0 MIAC) held a 19-17 edge with 8:04 to play in the first half before going on the scoring blitz until MLC (0-4, 0-0 UMAC) ended the drought with 21 seconds left. The Johnnies shot 55.2 percent from the field in the game's first 20 minutes, despite a 3-for-12 performance from three-point range.

Junior Aaron Barmore (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) celebrated his 21st birthday by leading all scorers with 18 points on nine of 10 shooting. Senior Aaron Burtzel (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) just missed his first double-double of the season with 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Senior Sam Blank (Rollingstone, Minn./Winona Cotter) added 12 points, including two of the Johnnies' three three-pointers on the night.

Nathan Bauer and Justin Eternick led the Knights with 11 points apiece.

SJU, which led by as much as 34, pulled all of its starters with 11 minutes left in regulation. Blank (18 min.), Burtzel (22 min.) and senior Chris Schwartz (19 min., Sioux Falls, S.D./Lincoln) left the game with 14:26 remaining, while junior Andy Burns (22 min., Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) called it a night with 13:19 left. Barmore (21 min.), the other starter, subbed out with 11:14 remaining. SJU begins conference play against St. Olaf (5-0, 0-0 MIAC) this Saturday, Dec. 4. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Sexton Arena in Collegeville. 

SJU outscored MLC 40-8 in the paint and shot 51.8 percent in the game despite a 3-for-16 (18.8 percent) night from behind the arc.