Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. - No. 13 Saint John's basketball suffered a gut-wrenching 74-72 overtime loss at No. 7 St. Thomas on Monday, Jan. 21, in St. Paul.

Freshman guard Colton Codute (Wayzata, Minn./Orono) gave SJU (13-3, 9-2 MIAC) a 71-69 lead with his second three-pointer of overtime, but was called for a touch foul on the other end of the floor and UST's Anders Nelson made both free throws (due to the double-bonus) with 47.9 seconds left. 
 
After Codute missed a layup, Nelson gave the Tommies (15-1, 11-0 MIAC) the lead for good on a jumper in the lane with 35.8 seconds remaining. Sophomore post Zach Hanson (New Prague, Minn.) made one of two free throws with 20.6 on the clock and the Tommies' Elijah Hannah matched it at the other charity stripe to end the scoring. Codute's three-pointer at the horn rattled off the iron.

Hanson and senior guard David Stokman (Maple Lake, Minn.) led four Johnnies in double figures with 17 points apiece. Stokman now has 1,300 career points, two behind former teammate Alex Schmitt '16 for 11th on SJU's all-time scoring list. Stokman is also four three-pointers away from tying the school record of 232 held by another former teammate, Patrick Strom '18. 

SJU led by as much as 11 (51-40) with 14 minutes left in regulation, but went 6:05 before it scored again (one of two free throws from Hanson) and the Tommies went on a 10-0 run to cut their deficit to one. UST had a lead for only a total of 2:28 in the game (to SJU's collective 36:30).

The Johnnies shot 58.3 percent (14-for-24) from the field in the first half but only led by one point (36-35) at the break, thanks to Michael Hannon's three-pointer at the buzzer. SJU made only 12 of its 34 shot attempts (35.3 percent) after intermission and finished at 44.8 percent (26-for-58) for the game.

Junior wing Jubie Alade (Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) collected 14 points and a career-high eight assists, while junior post Lucas Walford (Elko, Minn./New Prague) registered his fifth double-double of the season (and ninth of his career) with 12 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks. 

Neither team scored over the final 2:41 of regulation. SJU forced Nelson into an air-ball and subsequent shot-clock violation with 40 seconds left. Codute missed a three-pointer on the other end, but Hanson grabbed the rebound, setting up the visitors for the final shot with 7.2 seconds remaining. The clock operator failed to start the clock after SJU's inbounds play, showing the Johnnies' hand and forcing a re-start. Alade's 18-footer from the top of the key hit the back iron as time expired, sending the game to overtime.

Hannah led four Tommies in double digits with 13 points off the bench. UST shot 42.6 percent (26-for-61) for the game and 59.1 percent (13-for-22) from the free-throw line. 

The Johnnies return home to host Saint Mary's (6-11, 2-10 MIAC) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, in Sexton Arena.