Box Score

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. - No. 24 Saint John's basketball ended its 2021-22 season with a 77-71 loss to Calvin (Mich.) in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Friday, March 4, in Platteville, Wis.

SJU (23-5 overall) out-shot (46.3 percent to 45.1 percent) and out-rebounded (35-25) the Knights (21-8 overall), but Calvin scored 16 points off 10 Johnnie turnovers. The Johnnies started the national tournament third across all NCAA divisions with an average of 8.7 turnovers per game.

The Johnnies entered the game averaging 13.7 fouls committed per contest, but were whistled for 26 Friday. Calvin shot 69.1 percent from the free-throw line in its previous 28 games this season, but went 24-for-28 (85.7 percent), including an 18-for-20 performance in the second half. The 26 fouls were the most for SJU in a regulation game since Feb. 4, 2017 (26 at Bethel).

Senior post Zach Hanson (New Prague, Minn.) led SJU with his second consecutive double-double, and 11th of his career, with 19 points and 11 rebounds. He ended his career 17th in program history with 1,168 career points.

SJU shot 45.5 percent (10-for-22) from the field to the Knights' 34.6 percent (9-for-26), but CU scored 10 points off six SJU turnovers in the first half and the score was tied at 28-28 at the break.

The Johnnies were called for the second half's first six fouls, in the first 5:10 after halftime, as Calvin built a 42-36 lead. The Johnnies battled back with a 6-0 run to tie it, but the Knights used a 9-3 run to gain a six-point lead (51-45) and went on a 7-0 run - to gain its largest lead of the game (58-50) - after SJU cut the deficit to one (51-50). The Knights were in the bonus with 11:42 left, ahead 47-45.

Freshman guard Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.) hit a three-pointer with 31 seconds remaining to make it a 71-68 game, but Calvin's Thad Shymanski made both free throws on the other end of the court. Vaughn made one of his two free-throw attempts on the ensuing possession, but senior wing Alex Rasmussen (Northfield, Minn.) tipped the rebound to senior guard Jake Binley (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) for an easy layup and a 73-71 score. Shymanski made two more at the charity stripe and SJU missed its final three shot attempts from behind the arc.

Vaughn followed Hanson with 14 points, while sophomore wing Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) added 13 points. Thissen left the game due to injury with 9:56 to play.

Luke Morrison, the Knights' leading scorer (18.6 ppg.) and one of four graduate students in Calvin's starting lineup, poured in a game-high 22 points - all in the second half. Calvin shot 56 percent (14-for-25) overall and 3-for-6 from long range after halftime.