The Johnnie basketball team (13-7, 10-5 MIAC) travels to face Concordia-Moorhead this Saturday, Feb. 6. The game is set for 3 p.m. at the Memorial Auditorium in Moorhead. – Listen Live | Live Stats | Watch Live
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's junior Aaron Burtzel (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) recorded his second triple-double of the season and junior Sam Blank (Rollingstone, Minn./Winona Cotter) added 20 points off the bench as the host Johnnies defeated St. Olaf 84-61 on Wednesday, Feb. 3. Burtzel tallied 16 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists to earn the rare honor. He posted SJU's first known triple-double in school history on Jan. 9 against Concordia-Moorhead. Blank's 20 points led five Johnnies in double figures as the home team shot 53.2 percent (33-62) overall and made 12 three-pointers in the game. Sophomore Andrew Latzke (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) added 15 points, while fellow sophomores Aaron Barmore (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) and Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) scored 10 points apiece. Blank and Latzke combined for 8 of 13 from behind in the arc.
A LOOK AT THE COBBERS: Concordia (9-12, 5-11 MIAC) ended its eight-game losing skid with a 76-63 win over Augsburg at home Wednesday night. The Cobbers forced 20 turnovers and out-rebounded the Auggies 31-29 to earn their ninth win of the year. Concordia never trailed in the game as they shot 66.7% (14-for-21) in the first half and 53.1% (26-for-49) for the game. The Cobbers then connected on five of their final six free throws and 11 of their last 16 foul shots. For the game Concordia was 19-for-29 (65.5%) from the free throw line. John Fraase posted his second double-double in the last three games and ninth of the season with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Fraase was joined in double figures by three other starters. Ebo Nana-Kweson was 4-for-7 from the floor and finished with 11 points. Karl Olson and Darrin Olmscheid both had 10 points in the game.
THE LAST MEETING: Burtzel tallied the first recorded triple-double in school history as the Johnnies defeated Concordia-Moorhead 74-61 on Jan. 9 in Collegeville. Burtzel posted 16 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds along with a 7-for-9 shooting performance (.778) in the win. Blank led SJU with 17 points off the bench, including 12 from behind the arc. Barmore added 15 points, while junior Todd Herman (Spicer, Minn./New London-Spicer) recorded 10 points off the bench. Darrin Olmscheid led the Cobbers with 17 points and nine rebounds, while John Fraase and Ebo Nana-Kweson added 10 points apiece. SJU, which led by as much as 22 with 8:56 remaining, shot 56.3 percent (27-48) from the floor and 58.3 percent (7-12) from three-point range in the contest. Concordia bounced back from its 33.3 percent performance in the first half by shooting 53.8 percent in the game's final 20 minutes. The Cobbers went on a 14-0 run to cut their deficit to eight at 60-52 with 4:15 left.
MAKING THE TRIP TO MOORHEAD: The Johnnies are 67-27 all-time against Concordia under the direction of head coach Jim Smith, including a 25-22 record in Moorhead. SJU, however, has lost four of its last six trips to Moorhead. Smith's crew has shot just 33.0 percent (38-115), including just 27.3 percent (12-44) from behind the arc, in its last two trips to Moorhead. Both performances resulted in losses.
