Box Score | Listen to Archived Game
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Macalester snapped its 52-game MIAC losing streak and its 26-game losing streak overall with a 90-81 win over Saint John's on Wednesday, Jan. 5, in Collegeville.
The Scots (1-8, 1-4 MIAC) shot 56.7 percent in the first half, including an 8-for-12 performance from three-point range (66.7 percent), to lead by as much as 20 and post a 44-26 lead at the intermission.
The Johnnies (6-4, 2-3 MIAC), meanwhile, shot just 29.6 percent from the field in the game's first 20 minutes.
Macalester led by 21 with just over eight minutes left, but SJU chipped the deficit down to as little as eight with 47 seconds left. The Johnnies outscored Mac 55-46 in the second half.
Senior Aaron Burtzel (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) led SJU with a career-high 28 points, 23 of which came in the second half, and added 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals. The double-double is Burtzel's fourth consecutive and 21st of his career. He was seven of 12 from the floor and 14-for-17 from the free-throw line. The rest of the Johnnies combined to shoot 18 of 56 (32.1 percent) from the field as SJU missed a total of 13 layups (from three feet or less) in the game.
Junior Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn.) added 20 points and four steals. The last time two Johnnies scored 20 points or more in the same game was Feb. 4, 2008, against Gustavus (Ryan Lieser: 27, Brady Brink: 20).
Pierce Peters led five Scots in double figures with 22 points. Macalester outscored SJU 38-14 off the bench, including three in double digits. The Scots made their first six three pointers and ended 11 of 19 (57.9 percent) from beyond the arc. SJU entered the game with the MIAC's (conference games only) second-best three-point defense at 26.3 percent (20-76).
The victory was the Scots' first over SJU since Jan. 12, 2005 (66-45) and first against a conference opponent since Jan. 30, 2008, against Saint Mary's (68-65).
The two teams combined for 52 fouls and 78 rebounds in the game.
The Johnnies travel to face Concordia this Saturday, Jan. 8. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Memorial Auditorium in Moorhead.
