Saint John's plays host to Hamline for a 3 p.m. game this Saturday, Feb. 4, at Sexton Arena in Collegeville. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM) | Live Stats
Preview Video:
-Head coach Jim Smith (2:03)
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (12-7, 8-6 MIAC) completed a regular-season series sweep of the defending NCAA Division III national champions with a 61-56 win at St. Thomas Wednesday night in St. Paul. The Johnnies erased a three-point deficit at halftime and shot 50.0 percent (11-for-22) from the field in the second half, and out-rebounded the Tommies 31-24 in the game. Both teams were 20 of 42 from the floor (47.6 percent). The difference for SJU was a 17-for-24 showing at the free-throw line and a 4-for-9 compilation from beyond the arc. UST was 14 of 22 from the charity stripe and 2-for-11 from three-point range. A three-pointer from sophomore Seth Marx (Maple Grove, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) with 5:08 left started an 8-0 run for the visitors and erased a 47-46 UST lead. Senior Aaron Barmore (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) led all scorers with 22 points on a perfect 7-for-7 night from the floor and added seven rebounds. Senior Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) chipped in nine points and three assists, while Marx totaled eight points. Junior Chris Neumann (Winsted, Minn./Holy Trinity) collected six points, seven rebounds and a career-high three blocks.
LEADING THE COUNTRY: Thru games of Feb. 2, SJU currently leads all of NCAA Division III (405 schools) with an average of 10.1 turnovers per game. The Johnnies are also sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.40) and 16th in free-throw percentage (.752).
A LOOK AT THE PIPERS: In a game that featured 190 points and 56 fouls, the final five minutes of the first half proved to be the most important. Augsburg scored 16 unanswered points in that stretch, turning Hamline's 34-30 lead into a 46-34 deficit in a 99-91 loss. Hamline (10-10, 8-7 MIAC) was down by as many as 19 points before rallying to close to the final margin of eight. The Pipers shot well for the game (46.5 percent) but the Auggies shot 72 percent in the second half and 59.6 percent for the game. Levi Wenrich hit his first five shots from the field and led Hamline's offense with 13 points. Mike Campbell added 12 and Victor Easter contributed 11. Wenrich and Easter also added four steals.
EARLIER THIS SEASON: SJU defeated the Pipers 78-71 on Jan. 7 in St. Paul. Marx recorded the Johnnies' first double-double of the season, with a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds, and made five three-pointers (six of eight shooting overall) to lead SJU. Barmore added 17 points, while Burns and sophomore Kevin McKenzie (De Pere, Wis./Notre Dame Academy) chipped in 10 points apiece. Dior Ford led the Pipers with 18 points and eight rebounds. The Johnnies held their five-point halftime lead (33-28) in check by shooting 52.2 percent (12-for-23) from the floor and 19 of 23 (82.6 percent) from the free-throw line in the second half.
SERIES HISTORY: SJU is 74-24 against Hamline under the direction of head coach Jim Smith, including a 40-9 record at home. SJU has won each of the last four meetings overall and the last five games against the Pipers in Collegeville.
