Box Score

ST. PAUL, Minn. - No. 5 Saint John's suffered its first loss of the abbreviated 2020-21 season, 76-64 at No. 7 St. Thomas on Wednesday, Feb. 24, in Schoenecker Arena.

The Tommies (3-0, 2-0 MIAC) shot 58.3 percent (14-for-24) - to the Johnnies' 43.3 percent (13-for-30) - and went 5-for-9 (55.6 percent) from three-point range in the second half.  

SJU (3-1, 2-1 MIAC) cut its deficit to four (49-45) with 10:28 remaining and to six (56-50) with 7:14 left, but the Tommies answered with 5-0 runs on both occasions.

A layup from freshman wing Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) made it 62-56 in favor of UST with 3:44 left, but the Tommies drained back-to-back treys and made all four free-throw attempts in the final two minutes. Thissen scored a career-high 16 points in the loss.

The Johnnies out-shot the Tommies 48 percent-46.9 percent in the first half, but the home team scored 11 points off seven SJU turnovers to take a 35-30 lead into the break. UST finished with 14 points off 11 Johnnie turnovers, while SJU tallied three points off eight Tommie miscues.

Seniors Zach Hanson (20.0 ppg.; New Prague, Minn.) and Oakley Baker (17.3 ppg.; Geneva, Minn./New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva) entered the contest with a combined average of 37 points per game but were held to three in the first half. Hanson was called for his third foul 12 seconds into the second half and his fourth with 8:21 remaining. He finished with seven points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes of play.

Sophomore post Mitchell Plombon (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral) led SJU with 19 points on 8 of 11 shooting. Junior guard Colton Codute (Wayzata, Minn./Orono) was the other Johnnie in double figures with 12.

Anders Nelson led all scorers with 23 points for UST, which finished at 51.8 percent (29-for-56) from the field and posted a 35-32 edge on the glass.

The Johnnies return home to host Bethel (2-3, 2-1 MIAC) for a 2 p.m. game Saturday, Feb. 27, in Sexton Arena.