Box Score

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NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Saint John's earned a berth to next week's six-team MIAC playoffs with a 79-76 win at St. Olaf on Saturday, Feb. 16, in Northfield.

The win, coupled with Gustavus Adolphus' 69-62 loss at Concordia-Moorhead, gives SJU (12-13, 11-9 MIAC) the No. 6 seed and sends the team to third-seeded Augsburg (19-6, 14-6 MIAC) for a 7:30 p.m. game Wednesday, Feb. 20, at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis.

SJU dissolved a six-point halftime deficit (39-33) by shooting 62.5 percent (15-for-24) from the field in the final 20 minutes, including a perfect 6-for-6 from behind the arc.

Freshman Mitchell Kuck (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) led five Johnnies in double figures with a career-high 24 points. Senior Chris Neumann (Winsted, Minn./Holy Trinity) added 15 points and freshman Alex Schmitt (Chaska, Minn./Waconia) posted 13 points, all in the second half.

Junior Seth Marx (Maple Grove, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) added 11 points but played only eight minutes in the second half due to foul trouble. Classmate Patrick Butcher (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier) recorded 11 points off the bench.

Connor Gunderson matched Kuck's 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Oles (9-16, 8-12 MIAC). Nathan Kuck, Mitchell's older brother, totaled 23 points off the bench.

SJU scored 18 points off 12 STO turnovers and was out-rebounded 36-24 in the game (11-2 on the offensive glass).

With the win, SJU head coach Jim Smith (755-534 career record in 49 seasons) tied long-time (1935-70) Oklahoma State head coach Hank Iba (755-340 career record) for 18th on the NCAA's all-time wins list.