Box Score | Photos (Brace Hemmelgarn)

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Saint John's fought back from a significant first-half deficit but could not outdo NCAA Division II St. Cloud State in a 67-58 loss to the Huskies to open the 2011-12 season on Friday, Nov. 18, in St. Cloud.

SCSU went on a 22-4 run during an eight-minute stretch late in the first half to build a 22-point deficit. SJU was whistled for 10 fouls and committed seven turnovers in the game's first 10 minutes. The Huskies built a 41-27 lead at the half after shooting 61.9 percent and boasting a 19-5 advantage on the boards.

The second half was a bit different for the Huskies (2-0, 0-0 NSIC), however, as the home team shot just 33.3 percent (9-27), including 1-for-10 from beyond the arc, in the game's final 20 minutes.

Senior point guard Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) led the Johnnies with 17 points, while classmate Aaron Barmore (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) and sophomore Patrick Butcher (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier) added 11 point apiece. A 53.0-percent shooter throughout his career (58.0 percent last year), Barmore posted a rare 3-for-10 night from the floor and led the team with seven rebounds.

Tim Bergstraser led SCSU with 19 points and nine rebounds. The Huskies made only three of their 17 three-point attempts (17.6 percent).

SJU left eight points at the free-throw line (16-24, .667) and shot 40.0 percent from the floor (18-45), including a 37.5-percent clip from three-point range (6-16). Both teams committed 16 turnovers and combined for 42 fouls in the game (23-19 in favor of SJU).

The Johnnies face St. Scholastica (0-1, 0-0 UMAC) in their second game of the Tip-Off Classic on Saturday, Nov. 19. The game is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Halenbeck Hall in St. Cloud.