Box ScoreARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Bethel scored 17 points off nine Saint John's turnovers in an 81-72 win over the Johnnies on Saturday, Jan. 30, in Arden Hills.
BU (13-5, 8-5 MIAC) broke a 69-69 tie with a 12-3 run over the final 2:33 of the game. After the Royals answered with a basket from Brycen Wojta to gain a 71-69 lead, SJU (14-5, 9-5 MIAC) turned the ball over on its next two offensive possessions and went 1-for-5 from the field the rest of the way.
SJU shot 29.6 percent (8-for-27) in the first half, its worst showing in the game's first 20 minutes in three years, since it shot 28.6 percent (8-for-28) in the 86-59 loss at Bethel on Jan. 2, 2013. Despite the poor shooting, SJU only trailed the Royals by four (31-27) at the break.
Senior guard
Alex Schmitt (Waconia, Minn.) led all scorers with 26 points, his ninth 20-point game of the season and 20th of his career, on 8-for-14 shooting and added four assists.
Senior guard
Mitchell Kuck (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) followed with 15 points, while sophomore post
Tyler Weiss (Shakopee, Minn.) fell one rebound shy of a double-double for the second consecutive game, and fourth time this season, with 12 points and nine boards.
Wojta led BU with 25 points and Bridgeport Tusler added 18 points and eight rebounds. Derek Magnuson, a Division II transfer from Minnesota-Duluth, collected eight points, all in the second half, and eight boards.
The Johnnies return home to host Macalester for a 7 p.m. game on Wednesday, Feb. 3, in Sexton Arena.
