The Johnnies travel to face Augsburg for a 7:30 p.m. showdown in the MIAC Playoff Quarterfinals tonight at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM) | Live Stats/Live Video
Preview Video:
-Head coach Jim Smith (1:57)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's earned a trip to the MIAC Playoffs with a 65-56 win over Concordia-Moorhead this past Saturday. SJU ended the first half on a 9-2 run to take a 30-25 lead into halftime. The Johnnies shot 50.0 percent (11-for-22) to the Cobbers' 31.0 percent (9-for-29) in the game's opening half, but Concordia turned eight offensive rebounds into nine second-chance points to keep the game close. The Johnnies led by as much as 14 with 15:42 remaining, but Concordia tied the game at 47 courtesy of a 20-6 Cobber run with 6:30 left. Back-to-back jumpers from Andrew Martinson and a layup from Johnathon Molina gave the visitors their first lead, 53-52, since the 3:55 mark of the first half. The lead was short-lived, however, as SJU retaliated with a 13-4 run to end the game. Sophomore Seth Marx (Maple Grove, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) gave the lead back to the Johnnies for good with a three-pointer, his fourth of the game, with 3:29 left. SJU proceeded to end the game 8-for-8 from the free-throw line to seal the victory. Senior Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) led all scorers with 19 points, while classmate Aaron Barmore (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) added 18 points. The two combined for a 12-for-17 day from the floor, as well as an 11-for-13 performance at the free-throw line. Marx added 16 points and sophomore Kevin McKenzie (De Pere, Wis./Notre Dame Academy) chipped in four points and five assists.
THREE'S APLENTY: Marx tallied 16 points with four three-pointers in Saturday's win over the Cobbers, his 11th game with three or more three-pointers this season. He is currently third in the MIAC with 55 treys in 25 games (2.2 avg.) and is tied for second with 45 in 20 conference games (2.3 avg.). The 55 three-pointers are the eighth-most in a single season in SJU history (the record is 82 by Kevin Buth in 2002-03).
A LOOK AT THE AUGGIES: Senior Andy Grzesiak-Grimm scored a game-high 18 points to lead Augsburg to a 63-49 win over Carleton on last Wednesday. He also added nine rebounds and a career-high five steals. Cory Polta pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds and added eight points, while Brett Sorenson tied a season-high with nine rebounds, in addition to eight points and four assists. Down four at halftime, the Auggies shifted the momentum in their favor with a 21-7 run to start the second half. Carleton was able to chip the Augsburg lead down to four, 49-45, but the Auggies outscored the Knights 14-4 over the final six-and-a-half minutes of play to earn the key MIAC victory. Augsburg converted 42.9 percent (27-of-63) of its shots and dominated on the boards, claiming a 46-32 advantage. Grzesiak-Grimm leads the team in scoring (15.6 ppg.) and rebounding (9.7 rpg.), while Polta averages 11.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Tyler Schmidt averages 13.8 points per game and leads the MIAC in both free-throw percentage (.911) and three-pointers per game (2.7).
EARLIER THIS SEASON: The Auggies won both games against SJU during the regular season. In the most recent of the two meetings (Jan. 18), Augsburg took advantage of its dominance on the glass and a slow start for Saint John's in a 65-49 win over the Johnnies. The Auggies out-rebounded the Johnnies 47-14, including 18 offensive rebounds, and tallied a 20-5 advantage in second-chance points in the game. Augsburg made six of its first 10 shots, while SJU missed 10 of its first 11 before junior Chris Orgas (Lakeville, Minn./North) cut the deficit to 18-4 with 11:08 left in the first half. Orgas created a 4-0 run with a layup 37 seconds later, but the Johnnies went ice cold for the next 5:27 as the visitors built a commanding 26-6 lead en route to a 32-13 advantage at the half. The Auggies outscored their hosts by a combined 20-3 off turnovers and second-chance points. The Johnnies forced two turnovers and made their first three shots of the second half to cut the lead to 13, 32-19. The deficit shrunk to 10 (40-30) with 9:47 left, but Augsburg responded with a 14-1 run, thanks to three's from Schmidt on three consecutive possessions, in the next 3:13 to put the game away. SJU scored 18 points off 13 second-half turnovers by the Auggies, who finished with 22 on the night. Barmore led SJU with 10 points, while Orgas and junior Chris Neumann (Winsted, Minn./Holy Trinity) followed with eight apiece. Schmidt led Augsburg with 24 points and five three-pointers. Andy Grzesiak-Grimm totaled 19 points, 15 rebounds and six turnovers.
Saint John's shot just 35.1 percent from the floor, including 3-for-15 from behind the arc, in a 60-45 loss at Augsburg in the conference opener for both teams Nov. 30. Both teams scrapped to a 6-6 tie with 13:02 left in the opening half, but Augsburg went on a 19-5 run to build a 25-11 lead with just under seven minutes remaining. SJU responded with an 11-5 run, but the Auggies with four straight points, including a jumper from Parker Hines at the buzzer, to end the half. Saint John's cut the deficit to 10 (37-27) 2:26 into the second half before things unraveled. The Johnnies went exactly five minutes between baskets as the Auggies stretched the lead to as much as 25. Barmore led the Johnnies with 12 points, while Burns and sophomore Patrick Butcher (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier) added six points apiece. Marx added five points and seven rebounds. Hines led the Auggies with 18 points, including 11 in the first half. Grzesiak-Grimm and Polta combined for 24 points and 18 rebounds on the night. SJU made just one of its 10 three-point attempts in the second half and attempted only five free throws (2-for-5) in the game.
SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 50-50 all-time (3-1 in MIAC Playoffs) against the Auggies under the direction of head coach Jim Smith, including a 19-32 record (2-1 in MIAC Playoffs) in Minneapolis. SJU aims to end a six-game losing streak at Si Melby Hall Wednesday. Augsburg has won 15 of its last 19 games against SJU in Minneapolis.
