Saint John's seeks to end its three-game losing streak at home against Carleton this Saturday, Jan. 18. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at Sexton Arena in Collegeville. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM, via Real Audio Player) | Live Stats | Live Video
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Concordia went on a 12-0 run midway through the second half en route to a 74-64 win over Saint John's (5-8, 3-5 MIAC) Wednesday night (Jan. 15) in Moorhead. The loss was the seventh in a row for SJU at Memorial Auditorium and ninth in the last 11 trips to Moorhead. SJU went 5:33 between field goals from senior Kevin McKenzie (De Pere, Wis./Notre Dame) as the Cobbers turned a two-point deficit into a 10-point lead (62-52) with 4:10 left. CC made five of its six shot attempts and turned four SJU turnovers into six points during the Johnnies' drought. The Johnnies clawed to within four (66-62) with 50 seconds remaining, but the Cobbers made their lone shot attempt and went 6-for-6 at the free-throw line the rest of the way. SJU was once again stung at the foul line as the home team finished the night 19-for-21. The Johnnies' last four opponents have now combined to shoot 89.2 percent (74-for-83) from the charity stripe.
SJU tallied 11 points off seven Cobber turnovers and took a 32-26 lead into halftime. Junior Blake Maslonkowski (St. Joseph, Minn./St. Cloud Apollo) gave SJU an eight-point lead, its largest of the night, on the opening possession of the second half, but Concordia answered with an 11-1 run. The Johnnies recovered to take a two-point lead, 49-47, with 9:27 left before the wheels fell off. The contest was the third on the road in the last six days for SJU. Senior Seth Marx (Maple Grove, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) led the effort for SJU with 15 points off the bench. Maslonkowski and McKenzie added 11 points each, while senior Patrick Butcher (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier) collected 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. McKenzie chipped in six assists.
THREE STRAIGHT LOSSES TO CONCORDIA: Wednesday night's loss completed the first three-game losing streak for SJU to Concordia In the 102-game series between the two schools, during the 50-season tenure of head coach Jim Smith. The last time the Johnnies dropped three consecutive basketball games to the Cobbers was in the late 1950's: Jan. 10, 1959: vs. Concordia (83-98); Feb. 14, 1959: at Concordia (69-77); and Jan. 6, 1960: vs. Concordia (83-99).
MARX MOVING UP THE CHARTS: Marx went 4-for-7 from three-point range and led SJU with 15 points off the bench in Moorhead Wednesday night. He is now tied with Luke Witt (1998-02) for sixth place on SJU's all-time list with 135 three-pointers in 68 games. Marx needs nine treys to tie Ryan Lieser (2005-08) for fifth.
McKENZIE NEARS NO. 10: McKenzie enters Saturday's contest with 193 assists in 91 career games, 35 shy of Corey Jackson (1992-95) for No. 10 on the school's all-time list. He currently leads the MIAC (all games), among starting point guards with 15 assists or more, with a 2.6 assist/turnover ratio (52 assists to 20 turnovers).
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF TO'S: The Johnnies have totaled 100 points off 70 opponent turnovers the last five games. SJU started the season with 89 points off turnovers in the first eight games.
FREE-THROW DEFENSE, PLEASE: The free-throw line proved to be a big factor once again Wednesday night as Concordia went 19-for-21 from the charity stripe. The Johnnies' last four opponents have now combined to shoot 89.2 percent (74-for-83) from the line.
A LOOK AT THE KNIGHTS: Carleton (6-7, 4-4 MIAC) has had an up-and-down season so far, losing its first four contests of the season before winning the next four. Since that four-game win streak, the Knights are 2-3, following a lose/win pattern. Four players average above 10 points a game for the Knights: senior Taylor Hanson (13.4 ppg.), freshman Tianen Chen (11.5 ppg.), junior Shane McSparron (10.5 ppg.) and freshman Mitchell Biewen (10.2 ppg.). Hanson also leads the team, and the MIAC (all games), with an average of 9.8 rebounds per game. Chen leads the team with a .589 shooting percentage and Biewen leads the team in three-point shooting percentage at .380 (27-for-71). Biewen is just one of four Knights to attempt a three-point shot this season.
ROAD WOES: Both Carleton (1-5) and SJU (1-6) have struggled away from home, combining for a 2-11 record. The Knights' last win away from the home court was at Bethel, 76-74, on Dec. 12. SJU's last road win was a 93-83 decision against St. Scholastica at St. Cloud State Nov. 17. The Knights have been held under 40 points twice this season, both of which were on the road: at St. Olaf (65-37) and at Gustavus Adolphus (57-39). Overall, Carleton has been out-scored by an average of 15 points in six games on the road this season (an average of scoring margin of -19 points in four road MIAC games).
LAST SEASON: Each team won on its home court in the two meetings last season. SJU erased an 18-point deficit but could not hold on to a late two-point lead in a 66-65 loss at Carleton last Dec. 3 (2012) in Northfield. The Johnnies gained a 65-63 lead, their first of the game, with 2:35 remaining but Carleton scored the game's final three points. SJU left eight points (5-for-13) at the free-throw line, including a miss on the front end of a one-and-one ahead by a 65-64 margin with 24 seconds left. Carleton extended its 38-25 halftime lead with a 6-1 run to start the second half before SJU began to chip away. Sophomore Mitchell Kuck (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) recorded a career-high 21 points with five rebounds, but was 3-for-9 at the free-throw line. Marx tallied his second career double-double with 11 rebounds and 10 points, all of which was scored in the second half. Scott Theisen led Carleton with 20 points, while Tom Sawatzke added 12. Hanson tallied nine points and nine rebounds before leaving the game with an apparent ankle injury with 11 minutes left. Carleton made only three of its 16 shot attempts after he left the game (0-for-6 from three-point range). SJU out-shot (47.5 percent to 43.3 percent) and out-rebounded (45-36) the home team, but the Knights took advantage of the Johnnies' seven first-half turnovers for 10 points (and finished with a 12-4 scoring advantage in the game). The Johnnies out-scored Carleton 42-26 in the paint despite missing 11 shots down low.
SJU ended the game on a 28-11 run in the final 8:03 to give Smith his 750th career win, 73-66, over Carleton on Jan. 21 (2013) in Collegeville. The Johnnies took a 33-30 lead into halftime despite being out-shot 56.0 percent to 43.8 percent, thanks to a combined 13-6 advantage in second-chance points and points off turnovers. Carleton scored the first eight points of the second half and built a 55-45 lead with 8:04 remaining. The Knights, however, made only three of their final 12 shot attempts and committed three turnovers, all of which were turned into points for the Johnnies. SJU ended the game 8-for-9 from the floor, including 3-for-3 from three-point range, and 8-for-9 from the free-throw line. Kuck led SJU with 19 points and five rebounds, while McKenzie and Chris Neumann '13 added 11 points apiece. Senior Nick Meyer (Plymouth, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) totaled 10 of the team's 18 bench points. Theisen led the Knights with 23 points. SJU ended the game with a 15-4 scoring advantage off nine Carleton turnovers.
SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 37-29 all-time against Carleton under the direction of Smith, including a 23-10 record in Collegeville. The Knights, however, have won six of the last eight meetings overall.
