Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's basketball suffered its first home loss of the season, 78-71 to Carleton, on Monday, Jan. 16, in Sexton Arena.

The Knights (13-2, 8-2 MIAC) shot an even 50 percent (27-for-54) for the game, including 57.1 percent (12-for-21) in the second half, and went 9-for-14 (64.3 percent) – 26.7 percent higher than their season average (37.6 percent) – from three-point range.

Carleton senior (6-foot-8) forward Jeremy Beckler led the visitors with a career-high 36 points on 14 of 21 shooting (3-for-4 from behind the arc), while the rest of the team shot just 39.4 percent (13-for-33) from the field.

Beckler made his first six shots of the game, for the Knights' first 14 points, and the visitors led by as much as 13 (24-11) with 11:15 left in the first half. The Johnnies (10-5, 7-3 MIAC) answered with a 19-6 run to tie the game at 30-30 but eventually trailed by one (38-37) at halftime.

Carleton started the second half with a 9-2 run as SJU made only one of its four shot attempts and committed three turnovers. The skid subsided as the Johnnies went on a 15-5 run to gain their first lead of the game – 58-57 – with 6:54 remaining. A pair of free throws from junior wing Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) gave the home team its next and last lead of the game – 60-59 with 5:37 left – as Carleton responded with a 9-0 run. SJU cut the deficit to three (68-65) on a three-pointer from junior guard Brandon Adelman (New London, Minn./New London-Spicer) with 2:03 on the clock, but Beckler knocked down a shot on the ensuing possession.

Thissen played all 40 minutes and finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Adelman matched him with a career-high 16 points off the bench and sophomore guard Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.) was the other Johnnie in double digits with 10 points.

Carleton posted a 32-31 edge in rebounds, including 8-7 on the offensive glass, but outscored SJU 10-2 in second-chance points. Fouls were 6-3 in favor of the Knights in the first half, but the whistles flipped toward the Johnnies by a 15-9 count after halftime (7-2 with 10:19 left).

The Johnnies travel to face Augsburg (4-10, 2-8 MIAC) for a 1 p.m. game this Saturday, Jan. 21, at Si Melby Hall in Minneapolis.