Video Highlights
Photo Gallery by Niko Duffy '13
NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Seniors Carter Biewen (Golden Valley, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong) and Jeremy Sutherland (Apple Valley, Minn./St. Bernard’s) scored 15 points apiece as the Carleton College men’s basketball team shot a blazing 61.5 percent (32-of-52) from the floor en route to a 74-57 win over Saint Mary’s University Saturday at West Gym.
“[It was] a good bounce back game by the Knights,” said Carleton head coach Guy Kalland. “It was team defensive effort for the entirety of the game.”
The Knights were outstanding on offense as well. The remarkable team field goal percentage is the second-highest figure in program history, just short of a 62.2 percent (28-of-45) performance at Wartburg College on November 24, 2007. The Knights poured in high-percentage shot after high-percentage shot, finishing with 46 points in the paint, compared to just 22 for the Cardinals.
Feeling no hangover from Wednesday’s heartbreaking loss at No. 5 St. Thomas, the Knights (6-5, 5-1 MIAC) came out focused and took a 19-7 lead on a Scott Theisen (So./Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park) layup midway through the first half. Saint Mary’s (8-4, 3-4 MIAC) cut its deficit to five at 21-16 on Michael Burfiend’s jumper with 6:23 to go, but the Cardinals would get no closer as the Knights responded with a 13-4 run before taking a 36-24 halftime lead.
It was all Carleton after the intermission, as the Knights kept their lead in double figures throughout, despite 16 second-half points from the Cardinals’ Chris Palmer, who finished with a game-high 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Biewen went 6-of-8 from the field, the best shooting performance in conference play of the senior’s career. Sutherland, meanwhile, finished 6-of-10 and tallied a season-best four steals. Caleb Rosenow (So./Red Wing, Minn.) reached double figures for the seventh straight game, finishing with 13 points and a team-high five rebounds.
Aside from Palmer, Carleton shut down the Saint Mary’s scoring threats, holding All-MIAC seniors Will Wright and Lukas Holland to a combined 3-of-14 performance from the field. The Knights forced 15 Cardinal turnovers while collecting 11 steals and committing only 11 turnovers themselves.
“Saint Mary’s has a lot of weapons, a lot of player movement, a lot of ball movement, but we beat a good team because of our engaging defense,” Kalland said. “We’re excited to have another home game on Wednesday.”
With St. Thomas defeating Gustavus in overtime, the win puts Carleton in sole possession of second place in the MIAC standings heading into Wednesday night’s matchup with Bethel University. Tip-off from West Gym is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. with a live webcast available from Knights Online.
Video Highlights (Quicktime Video also available)
