Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's basketball clawed back from a 17-point deficit but saw its nine-game win streak end with a 67-66 loss to Augsburg on Saturday, Jan. 15, in Collegeville.

The Johnnies (11-3, 8-1 MIAC) had an opportunity to win the game in the closing seconds, but senior post Zach Hanson's (New Prague, Minn.) jumper rattled off the rim.

SJU overcame a poor first half by shooting 62.5 percent (15-for-24) from the field and 5-for-7 from three-point range after halftime.

The home team gained its first lead since the game's opening basket (Plombon) when junior post Mitchell Plombon (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral) made two free throws to put the Johnnies ahead 56-54 with 6:12 remaining. 

SJU led by four on two occasions, the last with 2:42 to play (64-60). Augsburg (12-2, 9-0 MIAC) answered with a bucket and took advantage of an SJU turnover with a three-pointer from Joe Palmer to gain a 65-64 lead. The Johnnies had the opportunity to tie the game a minute later, but missed the front end of a one-and-one.

Palmer made it a three-point game (67-64) with a jumper as the shot clock expired and Hanson brought it back to one with 18 seconds left. The Auggies failed to take advantage of a one-and-one opportunity from the free-throw line, but SJU did the same with four seconds remaining. The rebound, however, glanced off an Auggie and the Johnnies were able to set up potential, game-tying in-bounds play under the hoop.

Plombon led SJU with a season-high 16 points and grabbed six rebounds.

Senior guard Colton Codute (Wayzata, Minn./Orono) scored 15 points on 5-for-5 shooting (4-for-4 from three-point), all in the second half. Thirteen of the 15 points game during the six-minute stretch that lifted SJU to its first four-point lead. 

Hanson totaled 12 points, seven boards, four assists and two steals. He now needs only two points from to become the 39th Johnnie in program history to reach 1,000 for a career.

SJU made only two of its first 12 shot attempts and broke the five-point barrier with 11:17 left in the first half (to trail 19-7). The Johnnies finished the game's first 20 minutes at 36.7 percent (11-for-30) overall - including nine missed shots in the paint - and 2-for-9 from behind the arc to trail 35-24 at the break.

Palmer notched a double-double, leading all scorers with 30 points on 11 of 20 shooting (4-for-9 from three-point) and added 10 rebounds. The Auggies shot 50 percent in both halves, but cooled from 46.7 percent (7-for-15) to 25 percent (2-for-8) from downtown. 

The Johnnies host Saint Mary's (5-8, 3-6 MIAC) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19, in Sexton Arena.