Luke Healy at Free-Throw Line_Calvin
Senior guard Luke Healy led SJU with 14 points off the bench in the loss (image courtesy of Calvin Sports Information).
67
Saint John's Univ. SJU 4-1
71
Winner Calvin University CALVIN 1-5
Saint John's Univ. SJU
4-1
67
Final
71
Calvin University CALVIN
1-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Saint John's Univ. SJU 32 35 67
Calvin University CALVIN 24 47 71

Game Recap: Basketball | | Ryan Klinkner, SJU Athletic Media Relations Director

Cold Stretch Leads to SJU's First Loss, 71-67


Box Score

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – No. 12 Saint John's ended the prestigious Great Lakes Invitational with a 71-67 loss at No. 9 Calvin on Saturday night, Nov. 23.

The Johnnies (4-1 overall) led by as much as 11 (39-28) with 16:20 remaining, but the Knights (1-5 overall) responded with a 22-6 run, including a 17-2 advantage over a 6:14 span. SJU was whistled for its seventh foul of the second half, sending Calvin to the bonus, with 13:28 left and a 43-37 lead. The two teams combined for 51 fouls (28-23 against SJU) and 73 free-throw attempts in the contest.

A runner in the paint from senior wing Griffin Rushin (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) cut the Johnnies' deficit to three (54-51) with 6:45 left. The made field goal, however, was SJU's last until senior guard Zach Longueville (Eagan, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran) made a long three-pointer from midcourt with 3.4 seconds remaining – a 6:41 stretch that saw SJU go 0-for-7 from the field and 0-for-5 from behind the arc. 

The Johnnies shot 36 percent (9-for-25) from the field in the first half and held the Knights to 25.9 percent (7-for-27) overall and 16.7 percent (2-for-12) from three-point range for a 32-24 halftime lead.

Calvin made four of its first five three-point attempts and shot 45.8 percent (11-for-24) in the second half to the Johnnies' 31 percent (9-for-29). SJU went 2-for-15 from long range after halftime and 5-for-24 (20.8 percent) for the game.

Senior guard Luke Healy (Hudson, Wis.) led SJU with 14 points off the bench, while seniors Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) and Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.) followed with 13 points apiece. Saturday's output enabled Thissen to pass Mike Nester '02 for 12th in program history with 1,317 career points and Vaughn jumped past Steve Ward '75 and Mark Lenss '78 into 36th with 1,047. Thissen was later named to the eight-man, All-Great Lakes Invitational team (one player from each team).

Owen Varnado led the Knights with 23 points, including an 11-for-14 performance from the charity stripe.

The Johnnies return home to host Wisconsin-La Crosse for a 3 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday, Nov. 27, in Sexton Arena.



 
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