Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. – No. 21 St. Thomas shot 69 percent (20-for-29) from the field in the first half, including a 12-for-17 (70.6 percent) showing from three-point range, in an 82-69 win over Saint John's on Saturday, Dec. 10, in St. Paul.

The Tommies entered the contest shooting 33.3 percent (51-for-153) from behind the arc with an average of 7.3 made three-pointers per game. The hot shooting, coupled with a 31-8 scoring advantage off the bench and SJU's .357 shooting percentage (10-for-28), enabled the home team to build a 55-31 lead at the half.

SJU (6-2, 2-1 MIAC) finished at a season-low 38.1 percent (24-for-63) from the floor and 29.4 percent (5-for-17) from three-point range in the game. The visitors missed 26 layups/shots in the paint in the loss (14 in the first half, 12 in the second half).

The Johnnies entered the game leading the MIAC in both three-point shooting percentage (.411) and free-throw percentage (.807), and were second in shooting percentage (.500).

Sophomore guard David Stokman (Maple Lake, Minn.) led SJU with 18 points, while junior post Tyler Weiss (Shakopee, Minn.) followed with nine points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes of play.

SJU out-shot UST in the second half (40-30.8 percent) and scored 16 points off 13 Tommie turnovers, but the first-half deficit was too much to overcome. The Johnnies out-scored UST in the paint, 34-20.

Michael Hannon led the Tommies with 20 points off the bench, while Ryan Boll added 17. Grant Shaeffer scored 15. Hannon (5-6) and Shaeffer (3-6) took the court Saturday shooting 36 percent (27-for-75) from downtown but nearly doubled that (66.7 percent, 8-for-12) against SJU.

The Johnnies return to the court in the New Year with a 7 p.m. game against St. Olaf on Monday, Jan. 2, at Sexton Arena in Collegeville. SJU hosts five of its first six games in 2017.