By Frank Rajkowski & Ryan Klinkner '04

Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Sophomore guard Zach Longueville (Eagan, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran) hit a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left to play in the second overtime and the No. 25 Saint John's basketball team held on to edge Wisconsin-Eau Claire 71-70 Saturday night at Sexton Arena.

The score was tied at 61 at the end of regulation and 63 after the first overtime. UWEC's Brock Voigt then hit a layup and a 3-pointer to put his team on top 68-63 with 3:18 remaining.

But sophomore guard Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.) hit a jump shot with 2:44 to go, then followed that up with a 3-pointer with 1:10 to go that tied the score at 68. Longueville's 3-pointer gave SJU (1-1 overall) the lead, but Voigt followed with a layup to cut the gap to one.

Longueville was fouled and went to the line, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. The Blugolds got the ball back, but a last-second jump shot fell short.



Vaughn finished with 16 points to lead the Johnnies. Junior guard Blake Berg (West Fargo, N.D./Sheyenne) added 14 points while junior wing Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) and senior post Carson Schoeller (Prior Lake, Minn.) each had 11.

Schoeller also added 11 rebounds to record the second double-double of his collegiate career.

Voigt led all scorers with 30 points and added nine rebounds.

SJU finished 28-for-68 from the field and 8-for-19 from 3-point range. The Blugolds (1-1 overall) were 28-for-59 from the field and 5-for-19 from beyond the arc. The Johnnies outrebounded UWEC, 41-39.

The Johnnies host Buena Vista (Iowa) for a non-conference game at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in Collegeville.