The Johnnies conclude the fall portion of their 2011-12 schedule with a non-conference game at Minnesota-Morris tonight. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Jim Gremmels Court in Morris. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM) | Live Stats/Live Video
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (4-3, 1-2 MIAC) jumped out to a 25-0 lead to start the game en route to a 78-42 win over Martin Luther Dec. 12 in Collegeville. The Johnnies scored 19 points off 11 MLC turnovers to post a 42-17 lead at the half. SJU shot 48.4 percent (15-for-31) to the Knights' 22.7 percent (5-for-22) in the first half, but just 27.8 percent (5-for-18) from three-point range. The home team ended the contest 20 of 34 (.588) from inside the arc. Junior Chris Neumann (Winsted, Minn./Holy Trinity) led the Johnnies with 15 points and nine rebounds, while senior Aaron Barmore added 13 points. Sophomore Patrick Butcher (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier) came off the bench to record 12 points. The three combined to shoot 15 of 20 from the field, including 5 for 8 from three-point range. The Johnnies scored 31 total points off 21 Knight turnovers in the game.
BARMORE & NEUMANN: In the last two wins for the Johnnies, Barmore and Neumann have combined for a total 60 points, 21 rebounds and a .735 shooting percentage (25-for-34). Barmore is shooting at a 79-percent clip, while averaging 16.5 points per game. Neumann, meanwhile, is shooting 67 percent with an average of 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. In the win against Saint Mary's, Barmore tied his career high with 20 points on 10 of 14 shooting. Neumann tallied 12 points and six rebounds against SMU. Neumann is third in the MIAC in field goal percentage shooting 23 of 38 (.605). Barmore is second in the MIAC (all games) in free-throw percentage (.938), having only missed one all season (15-for-16). He leads the Johnnies with an average of 12.5 points per game and nine steals.
A LOOK AT THE COUGARS: Minnesota-Morris (2-4, 0-0 UMAC) defeated Mayville State (N.D.) 84-51 Dec. 9. Sophomore Brendon Foss led the Cougars with a double-double, scoring 20 points with 10 rebounds. Foss went a perfect eight-for-eight from the field and six-for-six from the free-throw line. Junior Derek Schmidt added 14 points, while fellow junior Logan Orazem scored 11. The Cougars never trailed in the game after losing to Mayville by one point earlier this season. Schmidt leads the team with an average of 12.2 points per game, while Foss averages an even 10.0. Morris fell on the road at Concordia-Moorhead 66-44 Nov. 17.
SERIES HISTORY: Saint John's is 25-10 all-time against current members of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, including a 15-9 record against Minnesota-Morris. SJU swept a pair of games against Morris during the 2007-08 season.
RECORDBOOK UPDATE: Senior Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) currently boasts 816 career points, 184 shy of becoming the 33rd Johnnie to reach the 1,000-point plateau. With his eight assists against Martin Luther Monday night, Burns passed Ryan Keating (2000-02) for fourth all-time with 319 career assists. Burns is also seventh all-time with 132 career three-pointers.
