Saint John's returns to the hardwood with a 3 p.m. game against Bethel this Saturday, Jan. 4, at Sexton Arena in Collegeville. – Listen Live (WBHR-660 AM, via Real Audio Player) | Live Stats | Live Video
A LOOK AT THE JOHNNIES: Saint John's (3-5, 1-2 MIAC) returns to action, its first game since Dec. 14, hoping to end a three-game losing streak. Top-ranked Wisconsin-Stevens Point built a 38-16 lead at the half en route to a 71-51 win over SJU that afternoon in Collegeville. The Pointers scored the game's first 12 points and shot 60.9 percent (14-for-23) in the opening half. To make matters worse for SJU, UWSP tallied 22 points off 15 Johnnie turnovers in the game's first 20 minutes. The Johnnies, like their previous two games in the week, shot 30.0 percent (6-for-20) from the floor in the first half. SJU shot 50 percent in the second half to out-score the visitors 35-33, but the damage was done. Sophomore Alex Schmitt (Chaska, Minn./Waconia) led SJU with 22 points, thanks to a 4-for-7 showing from three-point range and a 6-for-6 mark from the free-throw line, off the bench. UWSP recorded hefty statistical advantages in points in the paint (38-18), points off turnovers (26-9) and second-chance points (12-6).
FIRST-HALF WOES CONTINUE: SJU entered its three-game losing streak shooting 54.2 percent in the first half of its first five games this season, but has combined to shoot only 30.1 percent (22-for-73) in the first 20 minutes of its last three games (30.0 percent at Hamline, 30.4 percent vs. Gustavus and 30.0 percent vs. Wisconsin-Stevens Point), including 29.2 percent (7-for-24) total from three-point range.
BEFORE AND AFTER: The Johnnies cruised into its first MIAC road contest at Hamline Dec. 9 averaging 82 points per game and shooting 53.6 percent from the field, including 44.0 percent from beyond the arc. During the last three losses, however, SJU combined to average 49.3 points and 16 turnovers per game and shot 37.8 percent from the floor (26.3 percent from three-point range). The lone bright spot was the Johnnies' showing at the free-throw line: 81.3 percent (26-for-32).
ONLY SCHMITT CAN HIT: Schmitt accounted for 27 percent (40 of 148) of the team's scoring, averaging 13.3 points per contest, in the last three games. He shot 51.9 percent from the field, 45.5 percent from three-point range, in an average of 23 minutes off the bench. The rest of the team, however, shot 34.7 percent overall and 18.5 percent from behind the arc.
POST-CHRISTMAS RECORD: Since the 2005-06 season, SJU is 78-54 (.591) in regular-season games, including a 48-17 (.738) record at home, in the new year (post-Christmas).
NEW FACE, FAMILIAR NAME: The Johnnies will have a new face, but a familiar last name and pedigree on the roster for the remainder of the 2013-14 season. Freshman Jonah Eisenschenk (Avon, Minn./Rocori) transferred to SJU over Christmas break from Division II Minnesota-Duluth after appearing in seven games, averaging 1.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 11.6 minutes per game in the fall. The 6-foot-6 forward ended his high-school career with 1,906 points, including 1,695 at Rocori after starting his career at Saint John's Prep. He graduated as Rocori's all-time scoring leader and was named a Minnesota State All-Star after averaging 20.5 points and seven rebounds per game as a senior. Eisenschenk's father, John '81, was a two-time All-MIAC selection for the Johnnies and finished with 1,129 career points. His uncle, Phil Johnson '87, was the 1985-86 MIAC Most Valuable Player and a two-time All-MIAC pick at SJU.
ONE FROM DIDDLE: SJU head coach Jim Smith earned career win No. 758 (758-540) with the Johnnies' last victory, a 68-57 home decision over Saint Mary's Dec. 7, and is one away from tying Ed Diddle (Western Kentucky, 1923-64) for 17th on college basketball's all-divisions win list.
A LOOK AT THE ROYALS: Bethel (7-2, 3-1 MIAC) returns to competition having won seven of its last eight games since falling in the season opener at Wisconsin-Stout. The lone loss during that stretch was a 76-74 decision at home to Carleton on Dec. 11. Three of the Royals' games have been decided by two points or less (2-1 record). BU is led by freshman Brycen Wojta (16.4 ppg.) and senior Kyle Zimmerman (13.4 ppg., 9.8 rpg., .606 shooting percentage), who transferred to Bethel following his freshman year at SJU. The Royals average a +5 in the turnover department, committing only 9.9 and forcing 14.9 per game, and are shooting 51.3 percent (159-for-310) inside the three-point arc. Nearly 50 percent (48.2) of the team's scoring, per game, is provided by four freshmen: Wojta, Jackson Canfield (2.0 ppg.), Trevor Hall (10.8 ppg.) and Edward Scott (4.5 ppg.).
LAST YEAR'S MEETINGS: For the second consecutive season, the home team won the head-to-head meeting between the two schools last winter. Bethel shot 63.3 percent (19-for-30) from the field, including 61.5 percent (8-for-13) from three-point range, to gain a 48-22 lead at the half and never looked back in an 86-59 win over SJU last Jan. 2 (2013) in Arden Hills. The Johnnies, meanwhile, shot only 28.6 percent (8-for-28) in the opening half of what was their seventh road game in the season's first 10 contests. The Royals finished at 56.1 percent (32-for-57) for the game and 10 of 19 from beyond the arc. Senior Patrick Butcher (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier) and Chris Orgas '13 led SJU with 11 and 10 points off the bench, respectively. The Johnnies out-rebounded Bethel 40-33, including an eye-opening 21-9 advantage on the offensive glass. The visitors, however, only turned the 21 offensive boards into 20 points, made only one of their 14 three-point attempts and committed 16 turnovers on the night.
Saint John's shot 52.2 percent (12-for-23) from three-point range and 84 percent (21-for-25) from the free-throw line to earn its seventh consecutive victory, 89-82 over Bethel last Jan. 30 in Collegeville. The Johnnies shot 60 percent (15-for-25) from the field to gain a six-point lead (43-37) at halftime. Bethel held a lead for 6:04 span in the second half and re-gained its lead by one (61-60) with a pair of free throws from Taylor Hall with 8:34 remaining. SJU, however, proceeded to shoot 7-for-8 from the floor and 12 of 14 from the charity stripe the rest of the way. Chris Neumann '13 led SJU with 21 points, including two three-pointers, while Schmitt added 18 off the bench. Senior Jack Wittenborg (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) tied a career high with 14 points and classmate Seth Marx (Maple Grove, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's) added nine points and 10 rebounds. The two teams combined to shoot 47.6 percent from beyond the arc (20-for-42) and 78.8 percent (41-52) from the free-throw line.
SERIES HISTORY: The Johnnies are 51-24 all-time against Bethel under the direction of Smith, including a 31-8 record in Collegeville. SJU has won six of the last eight meetings overall and seven of the last nine in Sexton Arena, including wins in each of the last four on the home court.
