Saint John's continues non-conference action with an 8 p.m. game tonight at No. 15 Wisconsin-Stevens Point. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM) | Live Stats | Live Video
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Division II St. Cloud State ended the first half with a 19-4 run and never looked back in a 67-48 win at Saint John's in the season opener for both teams Nov. 16 in Collegeville. SJU cut the deficit to 12 (41-29) with 16:37 remaining, but the Huskies scored the game's next seven points to end the threat. SCSU tallied 17 points off 13 SJU turnovers in the first half alone. Senior Chris Neumann (Winsted, Minn./Holy Trinity) led the Johnnies with 10 points and six rebounds, while freshman Joe Risinger (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) posted nine points in his SJU debut. Junior Seth Marx (Maple Grove, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) added seven points and six rebounds. SJU out-rebounded SCSU 47-37 in the game, but committed 19 turnovers, left nine points at the free-throw line (9-for-18) and shot 17.6 percent (3-for-17) from three-point range. The Huskies collected 15 points off 11 offensive rebounds and 24 more points off the 19 SJU turnovers in the contest.
A LOOK AT THE POINTERS: Sophomore Joe Ritchay drilled a three-pointer with 1.3 seconds remaining to give Wisconsin-Stevens Point (2-0 overall) an 82-81 win at St. Olaf Nov. 17. The Pointers' sharpshooting from three-point range and St. Olaf's difficulties from the free-throw line allowed the Pointers to escape with the road victory. UWSP shot 50 percent (13-for-26) from behind the arc, while the Oles shot just 35.7 percent (5-for-14) from the free-throw line and missed three free throws in the game's final 30 seconds. St. Olaf grabbed a 44-43 lead one minute into the second half and the Pointers didn't reclaim the lead until Ritchay's game-winning three pointer. Junior Trevor Hass, a transfer from Division II Augustana (S.D.), led all scorers with 25 points and shot 6-for-11 from the three-point line. Sophomore Austin Ryf scored 12 points for UWSP, all of which came from behind the arc (4-for-6). The game's hero, Ritchay, was a perfect 3-for-3 from the three-point range, finishing with 11 points. The Pointers' first two opponents of the season combined to leave 20 points at the free-throw line. Stevens Point earned a 72-64 win at Lawrence (Wis.) to open the season Nov. 15.
LAST YEAR'S MATCHUP: SJU erased a 14-point halftime deficit to upset then-No. 24 Wisconsin-Stevens Point 60-55 in the Johnnies' home opener last Nov. 22 in Collegeville. The Pointers shot 55.6 percent (15-for-27) in the first half, including 6-for-8 from behind the arc, to post a 38-24 lead at the half. The momentum shifted drastically in the second half, however, as the Johnnies forced 12 UWSP turnovers and held the visitors to just 2-for-17 (11.8 percent) from the field. The Johnnies opened the second half with a 19-5 run to tie the game at 43-43. The Pointers' Tyler Tillema answered with five straight points, but SJU clawed back with a 12-2 run, thanks to four three-pointers, to take a 55-50 lead with 2:18 remaining. The Johnnies made seven of 10 three-pointers in the game's final 20 minutes and scored 30 points off 17 Pointer turnovers in the game. Aaron Barmore '12 and junior Kevin McKenzie (De Pere, Wis./Notre Dame Academy) led SJU with 13 points apiece, while Marx added 11 points. Ten of McKenzie's career-high 13 points came in the second half. Neumann totaled seven points and seven rebounds (four offensive) off the bench. Tyler Tillema led the Pointers with 14 points and Dan Tillema added 12.
SERIES HISTORY: SJU is 2-4 all-time against Stevens Point. Last year's win was the first for the Johnnies since their close 48-47 victory in the opening round of the Granite City Classic on Dec. 28, 1981, at St. Cloud State. The Johnnies are 36-35 all-time against Wisconsin state schools.
