Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – No. 10 Saint John's basketball earned a trip to the MIAC Playoff Championship game with an 82-49 semifinal win over Bethel on Thursday, Feb. 21, in Collegeville.

The Johnnies (22-4, 17-3 MIAC) host Augsburg (19-8, 13-7 MIAC), which defeated top-seeded St. Thomas 84-81 tonight in St. Paul, for the MIAC Playoff title and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, in Sexton Arena. 

SJU blocked nine shots and held the Royals to 29.3 percent (17-for-58) for the game. All five Johnnie starters scored in double figures as SJU finished at 51.6 percent (32-62), including an even 50 percent (9-for-18) from three-point range. 



The Johnnies broke the game open with a 14-2 run to gain a 19-6 lead with 10:50 left in the first half and held a double-digit advantage the remainder of the game. BU (19-8, 15-5 MIAC) shot 25 percent (7-for-28), including 18.2 percent (2-for-11) from behind the arc, in the first half as SJU took a 37-18 lead into the break.

SJU defeated Bethel by 35 (90-55) in the season's first meeting back on Nov. 28 in Sexton Arena.

Juniors Jubie Alade (Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) and Lucas Walford (Elko, Minn./New Prague) led SJU with 14 points apiece. Alade added five rebounds, four assists and a career-high four blocks. Walford grabbed 15 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season and 14th of his career, and collected four assists. 

Junior wing Oakley Baker (Geneva, Minn./New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva) and sophomore post Zach Hanson (New Prague, Minn.) followed with 13 points each, while senior guard David Stokman (Maple Lake, Minn.) added 12. SJU's starters shot 55.3 percent (26-for-47) from the floor for 66 points and tallied 34 rebounds.

Granger Kingland led BU with 13 points and six rebounds on 4-for-14 shooting. The loss snapped the Royals' 11-game win streak.

SJU is now 15-7 against BU since the 2009-10 season, including an 11-0 record in Collegeville.