The Johnnies travel to face Hamline for the conference opener this Wednesday, Nov. 28. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Hutton Arena in St. Paul. - Live Stats | Live Video
Preview Video:
-Head coach Jim Smith (1:53)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: No. 15 Wisconsin-Stevens Point rode the momentum of a first-half surge to an 82-52 win over Saint John's Nov. 20 in Stevens Point, Wis. The Pointers shot a blistering 70.6 percent (12-for-17) in the final 10 minutes of the first half to outscore SJU 30-12 en route to a 45-25 halftime lead. SJU shot 36 percent (9-for-25) from the field and Stevens Point capitalized on the Johnnies' 11 turnovers with 19 points in the game's first 20 minutes. The home team scored 38 points off SJU's 24 turnovers in the game and held a 32-8 scoring advantage in the paint. UWSP started the second half with a 14-0 run before freshman Mitchell Kuck (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) ended the drought 5:18 in. SJU was held to 10 points in the half until 4:51 was left on the clock. Freshman Alex Schmitt (Chaska, Minn./Waconia) led the Johnnies with 16 points, while Kuck added 11 points, including nine in the first half. Senior Chris Neumann (Winsted, Minn./Holy Trinity) grabbed seven rebounds but was held scoreless as the five Johnnie starters combined for 11 points on the night.
TURNOVER SHIFT: The Johnnies ended the 2011-12 basketball season fifth out of 405 NCAA Division III institutions in least turnovers per game (10.3 tpg.). SJU, however, committed 43 turnovers against Division II St. Cloud State and nationally-ranked Wisconsin-Stevens Point to open the 2012-13 season.
POINTS OFF: Nearly 42 percent (41.6, 62 of 149 points) of the opponents' scoring so far this season resulted from extra possessions off SJU turnovers.
A LOOK AT THE PIPERS: Hamline (2-1 overall) suffered its first loss of the season, 93-85 in overtime, to Northwestern Nov. 24. Sophomore Dior Ford posted a season-high 23 points to lead the Pipers, while senior Noah Aguirre added 16 points and sophomore Tyler Pannell chipped in 14. The Pipers started the second half with a 21-4 run to take a 53-43 lead and expanded it to 13 before the Eagles came back to tie it at 75 and force overtime. Hamline gained an 85-84 lead with 1:50 left, but Northwestern scored the game's final seven points. Ford enters the game fourth in the MIAC with an average of 20.3 points per game. HU leads the MIAC in steals (14.0 spg.) and scoring (87.0 ppg.).
THE LAST MEETING: Andy Burns '12 drained a jumper at the buzzer to give Saint John's a 69-67 win over Hamline this past Feb. 4 in Collegeville. SJU led by as much as six with 3:33 to play, but Hamline put together a 9-3 run in the final 3:31. A jumper in the paint from Al Tillman tied the game at 67-67 with 10 seconds left. Tillman rejected a layup from junior Kevin McKenzie (De Pere, Wis./Notre Dame Academy) out of bounds with two seconds remaining. Burns received the in-bounds pass from McKenzie, ball-faked his defender and connected from 15 feet for the win. Senior Chris Neumann (Winsted, Minn./Holy Trinity) led the Johnnies with 17 points, on 7-for-9 shooting, and nine rebounds. He also made three treys (3-for-3) to lead SJU, which finished 8-for-16 from behind the arc in the game. Burns added 15 points, while Aaron Barmore '12 added 10 points on a perfect 5-for-5 afternoon and five boards. Tyler Pannell led the Pipers with 17 points. The Johnnies committed a season-high 24 turnovers, including five in the first 4:30 of the game and 15 in the first half alone. The Pipers feasted on the miscues with 28 points. Six of the 24 SJU turnovers were charging calls.
SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 75-24 all-time against Hamline under the direction of head coach Jim Smith, including a 34-15 record in St. Paul. SJU has won each of the last five meetings overall and five of the last seven at Hutton Arena.
