Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – No. 5 Saint John's recorded its lowest home shooting percentage since 2015 in an 81-58 loss to Bethel on Saturday, Feb. 27, in Sexton Arena.

The Johnnies (3-2, 2-2 MIAC) finished at 41.1 percent (23-for-56) from the field, including 17.6 percent (3-for-17) from three-point range, in the loss. The Royals (3-3, 3-1 MIAC), meanwhile, shot 54.4 percent (31-for-57) from the field – 71.4 percent (25-for-35) from inside the arc – in the win, their first in Sexton Arena since 2009 (to snap a 12-game losing streak in Collegeville).

SJU made one of its first 11 shots and went on a 5-0 run to cut its deficit to three (10-7), but that was the closest the home team would get, as the Johnnies missed their next three attempts and committed two turnovers and the deficit ballooned to double digits. SJU shot 37.5 percent (9-for-24) and committed nine turnovers, which BU turned into 12 points, to trail 39-25 at halftime. 

The Johnnies missed 14 layups/shots in the paint, including eight in the first half. Bethel finished 21-for-26 in the paint. Three of the five misses were in the game's final five minutes. 

Freshman wing Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) led SJU with 15 points on 7 of 10 shooting. The rest of the team shot 34.8 percent from the floor. All 16 Johnnies played in the game, 14 of which scored a point or more.

BU's Isaiah Carver-Bagley led all scorers with 22 points, while adding seven assists and six rebounds, and Chandler Wellman collected 21 points and seven boards. The two combined to shoot 18 of 28 (64.3 percent).

The margin of defeat was SJU's worst since Dec. 11, 2013; a 71-47 defeat at the hands of Gustavus Adolphus when the Johnnies shot 38.3 percent (18-for-47) overall.

The Johnnies continue their three-game homestand by hosting Concordia at 7 p.m. Monday, March 1.