Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Saint John's basketball saw its win streak end at eight games with a 76-65 loss to No. 13 Mount Union (Ohio) on Wednesday, Dec. 20, on the campus of Division II Eckerd College.
The Johnnies (8-3, 6-0 MIAC) shot an uncharacteristic 37.3 percent (22-for-59) from the field, including just 20 percent (5-for-25) from three-point range, in the loss. SJU entered the game fifth in NCAA Division III in shooting percentage (.509) and seventh in three-point percentage (.408). The 37.3-percent performance was the team's lowest since Nov. 13, 2021: 36.1 percent (22-for-61) in a 62-58 neutral-site loss to Hope (Mich.).
SJU led 20-13 with 11:31 left in the first half but proceeded to go cold went on a 6:01 drought between points. Mount Union (10-1, 3-1 OAC), meanwhile, went on a 13-0 run and led the rest of the way. The Purple Raiders finished with a 30-3 record as the Division III national runner-up, thanks to a last-second basket, last season.
Three Johnnies – senior guard
Brandon Adelman (New London, Minn./New London-Spicer), senior wing
Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) and junior guard
Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.) – scored 10 points apiece. Vaughn's pair of three-pointers (2-for-5) tied him with Andy Burns '12 for eighth-most in program history with 160. Chris Schwartz '11 is seventh with 161 and Seth Marx '14 is sixth (165).
UMU led by as much as 19 (67-48) with 4:25 to play, three minutes after SJU went on a 5:08 scoring drought.
Collen Gurley led five Purple Raiders in double figures with 14 points, thanks to a 4-for-7 showing from behind the arc in the first half, and collected eight rebounds. Christian Parker added 13 points and eight boards, while Corey Hudson totaled 12 points with an 8-for-10 showing at the charity stripe. Caleb Laurich posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. He entered the game 1-for-7 from three-point land this season and went 3-for-4 against SJU.
Mount Union out-rebounded the Johnnies 47-35 (28-16 in the second half), including 12-6 on the offensive glass (9-3 in the second half). SJU only scored two points off eight turnovers.
The Johnnies return to competition, and MIAC play, with a 7 p.m. tip-off at St. Olaf on Wednesday, Jan. 3, in Northfield.
