Box ScoreST. PETER, Minn. – Saint John's shot a season-low 36.1 percent from the field and saw its four-game win streak come to an end with a 69-59 loss at Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday, Jan. 17, in St. Peter.
The Johnnies (7-6, 5-3 MIAC) entered the game as the MIAC leader with an average of 7.7 three-pointers made per game and was third at 42.2 percent (92-for-218) from behind the arc, but made only two of their 13 three-point attempts in the game. The Gusties, meanwhile, were last in the conference in both three-pointers per game (2.7) and three-point shooting percentage (.288; 32-for-111), and went 3-for-5 from three-point land in the victory.
Gustavus (9-5, 5-3 MIAC) scored the final seven points of the first half to take a 33-26 lead into the break as SJU shot 31 percent (9-for-29) from the field and 0-for-6 from three-point range. The Johnnies missed 12 layups (shots in the paint) in the game, including nine in the first half alone.
The Gusties were called for their seventh foul, giving SJU a one-and-one opportunity at the free-throw line, with 10:13 remaining but only went to the line twice the rest of the way.
SJU trailed by six, 57-51, with 6:30 left but went 4:14 between field goals and made only four of its final 13 shot attempts.
Senior post
Jacob Peterson (Golden Valley, Minn./Hopkins) just missed his first double-double with career highs in points (14) and rebounds (9) off the bench, while junior guard
Alex Schmitt (Waconia, Minn.) added 14 points of his own.
Gary Cooper led the Gusties with a career-high 21 points, on 7-for-9 shooting, and recorded three traditional three-point plays.
SJU out-rebounded GAC 42-33, including an 18-8 advantage on the offensive glass. The Johnnies, however, only turned the 18 offensive rebounds into 14 second-chance points.
The Johnnies return home to host Augsburg for a 7 p.m. game on Monday, Jan. 19, in Sexton Arena.
