Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's suffered its first basketball loss of the season, 95-77, to Division II St. Cloud State on Tuesday, Nov. 22, in Collegeville.

The Huskies (3-4 overall) shot 62.5 percent (20-for-32) from the field in the second half, including 66.7 percent (8-for-12) from three-point range. SCSU entered the game shooting 32.2 percent (48-for-149) from behind the arc in its first six games this season, but finished at 60.9 percent (14-for-23) against SJU Tuesday night.

Junior guard Brent Hentges (Carver, Minn./Holy Family Catholic) led SJU (2-1 overall) with a career-high 20 points off the bench. He shot four of six from the floor, including a perfect 4-for-4 showing from three-point range and an 8-for-8 performance at the charity stripe, and chipped in a team-high four assists.

SCSU scored the final four points of the first half to take an 11-point lead (42-31) into the break. SJU cut its deficit to eight (62-54) with 11:16 remaining, but the Huskies answered by making eight consecutive field goals, including four treys, over a 5:31 span to go on a 23-5 run to build a 26-point lead (85-59).

The visitors out-rebounded SJU 38-24, including a 13-5 advantage on the offensive glass and turned the extra possessions into 16 points (16-4 advantage in second-chance points). SCSU led by as much as 29 (95-66) with 1:48 left, but the Johnnies scored the final 11 points of the game.

Junior guard Patrick Strom (Fargo, N.D./Shanley) drained three three-pointers and posted 13 points in 18 minutes, while junior post Tyler Weiss (Shakopee, Minn.) added 12 points. 

Gage Davis, a Division I transfer from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, led SCSU with 21 points and 10 rebounds. He had six points and four rebounds at halftime. Mark Hall, a Division I transfer from Illinois State, followed with 19 points and Andy Foley added 18 points and eight assists.

The Johnnies travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., for a pair of games this weekend. SJU takes on Willamette (Ore.) in a neutral-site game at 6 p.m. CDT Friday, Nov. 25, before facing the host team, Colorado College, at 8 p.m. CDT Saturday, Nov. 26.