Box Score
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's basketball shot 63.8 percent (37-for-58) from the field, including 50 percent (12-for-24) from three-point range, en route to a 90-64 win over Saint Mary's in the home opener on Wednesday, Nov. 29.
The Johnnies (3-2, 2-0 MIAC) made six of their final seven field-goal attempts in the first half and closed on a 12-2 run to take a 43-31 lead into the break. The home team then proceeded to shoot 71.4 percent (20-for-28) in the second half, including 55.6 percent (5-for-9) from behind the arc, and led by as much as 31.
Junior guard
Zach Longueville (Eagan, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran) led four Johnnies in double figures with 14 points thanks to a 4-for-5 showing from long range. Thirteen of the 17 Johnnies who saw the court scored a basket in the victory.
Senior guard
Blake Berg (West Fargo, N.D./Sheyenne) followed with 13 points, on 6-for-7 shooting, and junior wing
Griffin Rushin (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) added 11 points – all in the first half – and a team-best six rebounds with a career-high three blocks. Junior guard
Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.) was the fourth Johnnie in double digits with 10 points.
Cameron Mallory led Saint Mary's (1-5, 0-2 MIAC) with 13 points and eight boards. The visitors were whistled for five fouls in the game (one in the first half) and shot 41.3 percent (26-for-63) from the floor, but just 18.8 percent (3-for-16) from behind the arc.
SJU out-rebounded SMU by a 36-25 margin, though the Cardinals tallied 17 points off 13 turnovers and posted a 10-5 edge in second-chance points.
With the win, the Johnnies improve to 96-22 against the Cardinals since the 1964-65 season, including a 59-1 record in Collegeville. SJU has now won 56 straight at home (52-0 in the Warner Palaestra) in the series.
The 90 points scored were tied for the second-most – including SJU's 90-58 win over Saint Mary's on Feb. 11, 2023, in Collegeville – over the last five seasons.
The Johnnies play host to Hamline (3-1, 2-0 MIAC) at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, in Sexton Arena.
