University of St. Thomas Athletics
21-2, 17-1MIAC
Saint John's
22-2, 18-1MIAC
Men's Hoops ends SJU win streak, stays in title race
2/15/2020 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Tommy Anderson and Anders Nelson combined for 35 points and No. 4-ranked Tommie Men's Basketball outscored No. 2-ranked St. John's 33-12 in 3-point baskets in Saturday's 71-66 St. Thomas win in MIAC play in Collegeville.
Six different players made at least one trey for St. Thomas (21-2 overall, 17-1 MIAC), which ran its win streak to 10 and moved within one-half game of first place behind the Johnnies (22-2, 18-1).
The Toms made 11-of-19 from behind the arc and avenged an 87-70 loss to the Johnnies five weeks earlier on their home court. The Toms made just 8-of-26 from 3-point range in the January loss. St. John's shot 45 percent from the floor Saturday after shooting 66 percent at Schoenecker Arena in the first meeting.
Coach John Tauer's Tommies improved to 13-1 on the season in road and neutral-court games.
The Purple also ended SJU's 22-game season win streak; handed the Johnnies their first league loss and ended SJU's run at a rare 20-0 MIAC finish; and snapped a three-game losing streak at Sexton Arena.
St. John's has a bye Wednesday night, and plays at Bethel next Saturday. The Tommies are at St. Olaf on Wednesday night, and finish the regular season at home next Saturday afternoon against St. Mary's. If the teams tie for the regular-season crown, a coin flip will determine the Nos. 1-2 seeds for the six-team MIAC playoffs,
St. Thomas saw a 16-point first-half lead evaporate to just 29-25, but Ryan Lindberg drained a trey with :03 left in the first half to push the lead to 32-25 at halftime.
After SJU tied the game in the final 9:00, Zach Theisen converted a four-point play and put the Purple back ahead 60-51. The Johnnies pulled within four points with 1:07 remaining, but the Toms sank 6-of-8 free-throw tries during the final minute.
Anderson (19), Nelson (16) and Lindberg (11) all scored in double figures for St. Thomas.
