Box ScoreNORTHFIELD, Minn. – Saint John's basketball found itself in an early hole and never recovered in a 91-80 loss in the MIAC Playoff semifinals at St. Olaf on Friday, Feb. 26, in Northfield.
The Oles (17-9, 14-6 MIAC) made 12 of their first 14 shots to gain a 30-11 lead 8:36 into the game and finished at 66.7 percent (20-for-30) from the field to post a 50-36 halftime lead. The home team posted a 7-0 edge in second-chance points and out-rebounded SJU (19-8, 13-7 MIAC) 18-9 in the game's first 20 minutes. The Johnnies made only four of their first 16 shots of the game, but ended the first half 9-for-13 to head into the locker room at 44.8 percent (13-for-29).
SJU scored the first four points of the second half to cut the deficit to 10, but STO answered with a 7-0 run. The visitors then cut the deficit to nine, 68-59, with 7:23 remaining but the Oles responded once again with a 5-0 run and led by double digits the rest of the way.
Senior guard
Alex Schmitt (Waconia, Minn.) led all scorers with a career-high 36 points thanks to a career-high seven three-pointers on the night (7-for-12). He scored 22 points on 6-for-10 shooting from behind the arc in the second half alone. The 20-point game was his 11th of the season and 22nd of his career. Schmitt's 36 points were the most by a Johnnie since Darrick Buettner scored 39 in the 93-74 home win over Concordia-Moorhead on Jan. 28, 1989.
Senior guard
Mitchell Kuck (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) followed with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists.
SJU finished at 42.4 percent (28-for-66) from the floor, two nights after it shot 63.3 percent in the 99-86 quarterfinal win over Augsburg.
Ben Figini led the Oles with 27 points, including the first seven of the game, and Riley Aeikens added 20. Justin Pahl (15.4 ppg.) and Evan O'Dorisio (5.4 ppg.) tallied 17 points apiece.
St. Olaf made only seven field goals (7-for-17) in the second half but went 26 of 30 from the free-throw line to finish at 86.8 percent (33-for-38) for the game. Three fouls were called on SJU during one STO possession to give the visitors seven team fouls and free throws for the Oles with 12:27 left in the game.
The Johnnies missed the front end of a one-and-one twice inside of five minutes to play, to finish 11 of 17 at the charity stripe (64.7 percent), and a total of nine layups in the game. SJU entered the contest second in the MIAC at the free-throw line (.745).
