Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – On a day when the program honored its seniors, it made sense that it was Zach Hanson (New Prague, Minn.) who led the Saint John's University basketball team Saturday afternoon.

Hanson, back for a fifth season this year and the Johnnies' elder statesman, finished with 13 points and six rebounds as his team used a second-half surge to down Macalester 59-45 in MIAC action at Sexton Arena.

The 13 points moved Hanson past Ryan Lieser '08 into 33rd place in school history with a career total of 1,062 points. He now trails Kevin Coleman '72 in 32nd place by just three.

SJU, meanwhile, won its sixth-straight game, improving to 14-1 in MIAC play and 17-3 overall. The win, coupled with Augsburg's 77-73 loss at home to St. Olaf, gives the Johnnies back sole possession of first place in the MIAC standings (which are determined by winning percentage this season) and clinches a first-round bye in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs.



Sophomore wing Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) was the only other Johnnie in double figures with 11. He also grabbed 11 rebounds for his first collegiate double-double. Caleb Williams led the Scots (9-11, 6-9 MIAC) with 12.

SJU led by one point (25-24) at halftime and fell behind 27-25 when Williams drained a 3-pointer to start the second half. The Scots then extended that margin to four when Shane Anderson hit a layup with 16:54 remaining.

But freshman guard Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.) then hit a three-pointer, drew the foul and converted the free throw to put the Johnnies back on top, 31-29. Sophomore guard Blake Berg (West Fargo, N.D./Sheyenne) followed with a three-pointer that just beat the shot clock, then added another trey two minutes later to help SJU pull away.

Vaughn and senior guard Colton Codute (Wayzata, Minn./Orono) finished with nine points each. The Johnnies owned a 40-31 edge in rebounds and finished 7-for-10 from the free-throw line.

The Johnnies entered Saturday's game No. 2 in NCAA Division III in three-point percentage (.406) and fifth in overall shooting percentage (.509), but finished at 39.0 percent (23-for-59) overall and 35.3 percent (6-for-17) from behind the arc. SJU, however, scored 13 points off nine Mac turnovers and 10 second-chance points, while holding the Scots to 33.3 percent (18-for-54) from the field and 25 percent (6-for-24) from long range.

SJU completes the three-game homestand with a 7 p.m. tip-off against Hamline (8-12, 6-9 MIAC) on Monday, Feb. 7, in Sexton Arena.