Kooper Vaughn vs. Macalester_Graham Miller
Senior guard Kooper Vaughn (image courtesy of Graham Miller)
63
Macalester MAC 7-15, 4-9 MIAC
80
Winner Saint John's Univ. SJU 20-2, 13-0 MIAC
Macalester MAC
7-15, 4-9 MIAC
63
Final
80
Saint John's Univ. SJU
20-2, 13-0 MIAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Macalester MAC 21 42 63
Saint John's Univ. SJU 45 35 80

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

No. 6 SJU Clinches Top-Two Seed in MIAC Playoffs, Another 20-Win Season With 80-63 Victory


Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – No. 6 Saint John's basketball extended its win streak to 16 games with an 80-63 victory over Macalester on Wednesday, Feb. 12, in Sexton Arena.

The win locked up a top-two seed and first-round bye in the six-team MIAC Playoffs for the Johnnies (20-2, 13-0 MIAC), who will host an MIAC semifinal at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27. 

The victory also gave SJU its 16th 20-win season in program history and sixth in nine seasons (not including the 2020-21 COVID season) under the direction of head coach Pat McKenzie '04. 

SJU held the Scots (7-15, 4-9 MIAC) to single digits in points until 9:02 remaining in the first half as the visitors finished at 23.5 percent (8-for-34) from the field and 3-for-19 (15.8 percent) from three-point land in the first half. The Johnnies countered at 47.4 percent (18-for-38) for a 45-21 halftime lead.

The home team led by as much as 29 (66-37) with 10:11 to play.

Senior wing Ryan Thissen (Rosemount, Minn./Eastview) led four Johnnies in double figures with 15 points in a team-best 23:00 of play. The total enabled him to pass both Troy Bigalke '01 (1,568) and Dick Matchinsky '57 (1,581) for second on SJU's all-time scoring list with 1,582. Frank Wachlarowicz '79 is the program's leader at 2,357.



Senior guard Kooper Vaughn (St. Charles, Minn.) was next with 14 points in 17:22 of action, while junior guard Kyle Johnson (Prior Lake, Minn./DeLaSalle) added 13 points off the bench. Vaughn went 4-for-9 from behind the arc and is now nine three-pointers from the program record of 266 owned by David Stokman '19.

Senior guard Blake Berg (West Fargo, N.D./Sheyenne) was the fourth Johnnie in double digits with 11 points. 

SJU ended the game at an even 47 percent (31-for-66) and out-rebounded Mac 46-34, though offensive boards were a draw at 14-14.

JP Kerrigan led the Scots with 17 points off the bench and Noah Shannon registered 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals in 37:58 played.

The Johnnies travel to face Gustavus Adolphus (20-3, 14-0 MIAC) in a battle for first place in the MIAC at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, in St. Peter.


 
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