Box Score
NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Saint John's basketball rode a hot first half to an 89-74 win at St. Olaf on Wednesday, Jan. 3.
The Johnnies (9-3, 7-0 MIAC) shot 70.4 percent (19-for-27) from the field in the first half, including 50 percent (5-for-10) from three-point range, to take a 49-31 lead into the break. Down 14-12 6:33 into the game, SJU went on a 12-0 run and started a 12-2 advantage two minutes later to go up 38-20 with 4:55 before halftime.
The cylinder cooled in the second half as SJU went 0-for-6 from long range and finished at 54.8 percent (34-for-62) overall for the game. The visitors scored 26 points off 15 St. Olaf (4-8, 3-4 MIAC) turnovers and led by as much as 22 (79-57) with 6:24 remaining.
Junior guard
Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.) played only 12 minutes and led SJU with 15 points, including 13 in the first half, on 6-for-7 shooting. He made three treys – all in the first half, including one at the horn – which broke his tie with Andy Burns '12 (160) and enabled him to pass Chris Schwartz '11 (161) for seventh in SJU history with 163 in his career. Seth Marx '14 is sixth with 165.
Senior wing
Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) added 12 points, four assists and two steals. The dozen points moved him past Ryan Lieser '08 (1,057) and Kevin Coleman '72 (1,065) into a tie with Burns for 32nd on SJU's all-time scoring list with 1,068 in his career. Larry Bassett '92 is 31st on the list with 1,072).
Sophomore guard
Kyle Johnson (Prior Lake, Minn./DeLaSalle) totaled 11 points off the bench and senior guard
Blake Berg (West Fargo, N.D./Sheyenne) was the fourth Johnnie in double figures with 10, including two thunderous dunks in the first half.
Senior wing
Connor Schwob (Waconia, Minn.) fell a basket shy of his first collegiate double-double with a career-high eight points and 11 rebounds.
Kobe Kirk led all scorers with 21 points for the Oles, who finished at 43.4 percent (26-for-60) from the field.
The Johnnies continue their three-game stretch on the road with a 3 p.m. tip-off at St. Scholastica (2-9, 1-5 MIAC) on Saturday, Jan. 6, in Duluth.
