Box Score

ST. PETER, Minn. – Saint John's cut a 19-point second-half deficit down to one with 25 seconds remaining but could not take the lead in a 79-74 loss at Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday, Feb. 20, in St. Peter.

With the loss, SJU (14-11, 11-9 MIAC) travels to face Augsburg in the MIAC Playoff Quarterfinals on Tuesday, Feb. 23. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis.

The Johnnies shot just 39.3 percent (11-28) to surrender a 36-28 deficit at the half.

The Gusties (15-10, 13-7 MIAC) opened the second half by making seven of their first 11 shots, including 4-for-6 from behind the arc, to take a 58-39 lead with 11:15 remaining.

SJU, however, responded by out-scoring GAC 35-17 to make it 75-74 with 25 second left. Sophomore Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) hit a pair of three's on back-to-back possessions to cut it to one. The Gusties held their lead, however, and made their final four free-throw attempts to seal the win. GAC ended the game 19 of 20 from the charity stripe.

Junior Nermin Hujdurovic (Tuzla, Bosnia/Medical) led all scorers with 19 points off the bench, including a 9-for-9 performance from the free-throw line. Burns finished with 18 points, including five three-pointers, and junior Todd Herman (Spicer, Minn./New London-Spicer)  added 12 points.

Jesse Van Sickle led the Gusties with 14 points.

GAC out-rebounded the Johnnies 34-23 in the game, including an 11-5 edge on the offensive glass.