Box Score

NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Junior guard Luke Healy (Hudson, Wis.) scored what proved to be the game-winning basket with 4.4 seconds remaining to give Saint John's basketball a 74-72 win at Carleton to open the MIAC schedule on Tuesday, Nov. 21, at West Gymnasium.

Healy caught the inbounds pass under the hoop and dribbled the length of the court for a left-handed layup with 4.4 seconds to play. Miles Frisch's three-point attempt for Carleton, from the top of the arc at the horn, hit off the right iron for the win.

Down 37-29 at halftime, SJU (2-2, 1-0 MIAC) opened the second half with a 17-4 run and built a 10-point lead – 69-59 – with 2:57 to play. The Knights (1-1, 0-1 MIAC), however, answered with a 13-3 run before Healy's go-ahead basket.

A trio of missed free throws and a pair of big shots from Carleton tied the game late. Ahead 71-67 with 42 seconds, Healy made one of his two free throws before the Knights' Matt Banovetz nailed a three-pointer to cut the home team's deficit to 72-70 with 23 ticks on the clock. An 82.4-percent (168-for-204) free-throw shooter in his career, senior wing Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) missed both of his free throws with 22.2 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Luke Harris spun in the paint and tied the game with 10.8 seconds left.

Senior guard Blake Berg (West Fargo, N.D./Sheyenne) led five Johnnies in double digits for points with 16. He also added three rebounds, three assists and two blocks before he fouled out with 44 seconds remaining.

Thissen followed with 13 points, all of which came in the second half, and five rebounds. Healy finished with 11 points off the bench, while senior guard Brandon Adelman (New London, Minn./New London-Spicer) and junior guard Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.) added two treys and 10 points apiece. A three-pointer from Adelman gave SJU its first lead of the game – 42-41 – 5:18 into the second half.

Harris led all scorers with 31 points for Carleton. He went 17-for-20 at the free-throw line – the rest of the team was 4-for-4 – and added six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

The Knights out-rebounded SJU by a 39-30 margin, including 12-6 on the offensive glass, though second-chance points were even at 9-9.

SJU shot 48.5 percent (16-for-33) from the field in the second half – to the Knights' 31-percent (9-for-29) output – to finish at 45.6 percent (26-for-57).

The Johnnies open a three-game homestand with a 7 p.m. tip-off against Saint Mary's (1-4, 0-1 MIAC) next Wednesday, Nov. 29, in Sexton Arena.