Box Score

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – No. 12 Saint John's opened the Great Lakes Invitational with a strong defensive showing and a 64-48 win over No. 21 Hope (Mich.) on Friday afternoon, Nov. 22.

The Johnnies (4-0 overall) held the Flying Dutchmen (2-2 overall) to 28.3 percent (15-for-53) from the field, including 16.7 percent (3-for-18) from three-point range, and scored 18 points off 12 turnovers.

SJU started the game with a 19-6 run but made only two of its final 15 shots to finish at 29.6 percent (8-for-27) from the floor, to Hope's 24 percent (6-for-25), for a two-point halftime lead (22-20). The Flying Dutchmen made only two of their first 16 shots and closed the half with a 14-3 run. 

The Johnnies opened the second half with a 17-2 run for a 39-24 lead, but Hope trimmed its deficit to seven – 42-35 – with 8:44 to play. SJU, however, responded with 12-straight points in an eventual 16-1 run to seal the victory.

Eleven Johnnies found the scoresheet but only one, senior wing Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) reached double digits with 11 points and also led the team with eight rebounds. The 11 points lifted Thissen past Alex Schmitt '16 for 13th on SJU's scoring list with 1,304. 

Senior guard Zach Longueville (Eagan, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran) was next with nine points, thanks to a 6-for-7 showing at the free-throw line, in just 14 minutes due to foul trouble. 

Senior guard Luke Healy (Hudson, Wis.) and junior guard Kyle Johnson (Prior Lake, Minn./DeLaSalle) followed with seven points apiece off the bench. Healy added five rebounds and a team-high four assists for SJU, which finished at 40 percent (22-for-55) from the field.

Gabe Quillan led all scorers with 13 points for Hope.

The Johnnies face the tournament's host, No. 9 Calvin, at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Nov. 23.