Box ScoreCOLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's basketball handed Bethel its first loss of the season with an 89-78 overtime victory on Saturday, Dec. 12, in Collegeville.
The Johnnies (8-1, 3-1 MIAC) started the extra frame with a 9-0 run thanks to a three-pointer from senior guard
Mitchell Kuck (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) and two treys from senior guard
Alex Schmitt (Waconia, Minn.). Bethel (7-1, 2-1 MIAC) cut its deficit to six on a three-pointer from freshman post Derek Magnuson, a transfer from Division II Minnesota-Duluth, with 50 seconds left. The trey was the lone made basket for the Royals in overtime (1-for-10).
SJU held BU scoreless the rest of the way, however, and made five of its final six free-throw attempts to seal the win.
A three-pointer from Trevor Hall gave Bethel a two-point lead (71-69), its first since 7:29 showed on the clock, with 1:01 remaining in regulation, but Kuck answered with a layup on the ensuing possession to tie the game at 71-71. Kuck's three-pointer at the horn missed the mark.
The Johnnies went on a 13-0 lead to post a 30-21 lead with just under five minutes to play in the first half, and led by as much as 10, but the Royals closed with an 11-4 run to cut SJU's lead to 37-34 at the break.
Schmitt led SJU with a season-high 27 points and four assists, while Kuck added 20 points and five rebounds. Kuck (985) and Schmitt (977) are now both a stone's throw away from joining SJU's 33-man, 1,000-point club.
Sophomore post
Tyler Weiss (Shakopee, Minn.) recorded his third double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Senior wing
Joe Risinger (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) just missed a double-double of his own with 12 points, including two thunderous dunks, and nine boards.
Magnuson led BU with 27 points and 12 rebounds, including 21 points and nine boards after halftime.
SJU has now won 10 of the last 13 meetings with Bethel and 10 of the last 12 in Collegeville, including each of the last seven in Sexton Arena.
The Johnnies travel to face Division II Concordia-St. Paul for an exhibition game on Wednesday, Dec. 30. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in St. Paul.
