Saint John's (6-3, 2-2 MIAC) looks to get back on the winning track as it plays host to Macalester (0-8, 0-4 MIAC) for a 7:30 p.m. game tonight at Sexton Arena in Collegeville. – Listen Live | Live Stats
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: SJU dropped its first contest of 2011 at Carleton by a score of 71-63 this past Monday, Jan. 3. The Knights (5-4, 4-0 MIAC) scored 19 points off 15 Saint John's turnovers. The game was the first for SJU since Dec. 8, a span of 26 days.
The Johnnies started hot, making four of their first seven shots and built a 10-point lead in the game's first 8:29, but ended the half six of 13 from the field and committed five turnovers. Though the stats were not daunting, Carleton scored eight points off the five blunders to take at three-point lead into halftime. SJU took a one-point lead, 42-41, with 11:02 left in the second half and cut it to two with eight minutes remaining, but that was all the closer Jim Smith's crew would get.
Junior Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) led four Johnnies in double figures with 16 points thanks to 4-for-5 shooting from three-point range. Senior Todd Herman (Spicer, Minn./New London-Spicer) followed with 14 points off the bench in his first game of the 2010-11 season, and senior Sam Blank (Rollingstone, Minn./Winona Cotter) added 11 points. Senior Aaron Burtzel (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) totaled 10 points, 14 rebounds and four assists for his third consecutive double-double of the season and 20th of his career.
A LOOK AT THE SCOTS: Concordia, SJU's opponent on Saturday, cruised to a 45-18 halftime lead and received a 6-for-6 three-point shooting effort from Erik Lien en route to an 84-49 win over the Scots Monday night.
Concordia shot 53 percent from the floor, including a 12-for-25 performance from behind the arc. The Scots were held to 32 percent shooting on the night. Sophomore Pierce Peters is currently third in the MIAC (conference games only) with an 18.3 scoring average per game (18.0 ppg. overall).
Defensively, Macalester is allowing a .483 shooting percentage (.496 in MIAC play) and 81.5 points per game. Offensively, the Scots are shooting 43.6 percent from the field and average 17.4 turnovers per contest.
SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 66-27 all-time against Macalester under the direction of head coach Jim Smith, including a 36-10 record in Collegeville. SJU has won 11 straight against the Scots and 19 of the last 20 meetings at Sexton Arena. Eight of the last nine SJU wins have been decided by 10 points or more.
