Box ScoreST. PAUL, Minn. – Saint John's clinched a berth in next week's six-team MIAC Playoffs with a 74-58 win at Macalester on Monday, Feb. 16, in St. Paul.
Down 14-13 early, SJU (14-9, 12-6 MIAC) went on a 19-4 run to build a 14-point lead (32-18), but Macalester (5-18, 2-16 MIAC) cut its deficit to six points (35-29) at halftime thanks to an 11-3 run in the final 4:03. The Johnnies, however, started the second half with a 6-0 run to gain a double-digit lead they would not relinquish the rest of the game.
Senior post
Blake Maslonkowski (St. Joseph, Minn./St. Cloud Apollo) and junior guards
Mitchell Kuck (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) and
Alex Schmitt (Waconia, Minn.) led SJU with 16 points apiece. Maslonkowski also tallied three steals, of which SJU turned into seven points, and added 11 rebounds to post his second double-double of the season and fifth of his career.
Kareem Ismail led the Scots with 22 points, on seven of 14 shooting and a perfect 8-for-8 night at the free-throw line, and 12 rebounds. The rest of the team, however, shot 31.3 percent (10-for-32) from the field.
SJU shot 48.1 percent (25-for-52) from the floor, committed six turnovers and out-scored Mac handily in two statistical categories, points in the paint (36-12) and points off turnovers (18-2).
The Johnnies return to the Twin Cities on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Augsburg (11-12, 8-10 MIAC). Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis.
