NORTHFIELD, Minn. - Matt Banovetz (So./Edina, Minn./Academy of Holy Angels) scored 18 points off the bench and led the way down the stretch for the Carleton College men's basketball team, as the Knights prevailed at crosstown rival St. Olaf College, 71-65. The team's fifth consecutive win to open 2022 secured Carleton's (11-3, 8-2 MIAC) hold on the Goat Trophy for another year.
 
The team not in the possession of the 108-year-old Goat Trophy must sweep the season series. Carleton reclaimed the keepsake during the 2019-20 campaign with a sweep of the Oles, and the teams did not playing during the pandemic effected 2020-21 season.
 
"A really nice road win for our team today," said Carleton head coach Guy Kalland. "We knew this would be a battle—as it always is—and the guys stepped up in a big way in the second half. To shoot 60 percent from the field in the second half and to hold them under 38 percent in both halves says a lot about the determined group we had on the floor today. This wraps up what has been a really nice week for our team and program as a whole."
 
Today, the first half ended 28-28 on the scoreboard as the first 20 minutes saw both teams attempt 29 shots from the field overall, seven 3-pointers, and six free throws.
 
The Knights led for more than half of the opening frame, but with six ties and three lead changes, their advantage never grew to more than four points. The Oles (8-7, 4-6 MIAC) also  claimed a four-point lead at 21-17 with 4:49 remaining before intermission.
 
Banovetz had five points during the ensuing 11-4 run for Carleton, but St. Olaf senior Dominic Bledsoe drained a 3-pointer with 0:07 on the clock to knot the score at 28-28 heading into the break.
 
Luke Harris (Fy./Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont) scored six points and Jeremy Beckler (Jr./Lino Lakes, Minn./White Bear Lake) accounted for the other four as Carleton began the second half with a 10-3 run.
 
St. Olaf responded with an 8-0 surge of its own, capped by Michael Meriggioli's driving layup that gave the Oles a slight 39-38 advantage with 15 minutes remaining.
 
That would prove to be St. Olaf's final lead of the contest, as Carleton made its next six shots, including 3-pointers by Beckerl (twice), Beck Page (Jr./Longmont, Colo./Longmont), and Banovetz. All told it was a 16-4 run for the Knights that gave the visitors a 54-43 approaching the midpoint of the second half.
 
Back-and-forth play for the remaining ten minutes of the half never saw the Oles bring their deficit to within five.
 
Banovetz's 18 points were two shy of his career high, and he did so while going 6-of-7 from the field, including a pair of triples. He scored 11 of his 18 points in the second half—during which he also made a statement block—with eight of the tallies coming over the final nine minutes of the contest.
 
Beckler chipped in 16 points and six rebounds in the winning effort, while Harris scored 14 and accrued five assists. Alex Battist (Sr./Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) contributed nine points and a team-best seven rebounds.
 
Four Oles finished in double figures. Connor Martin and joined Meriggioli atop the list with 15 points apiece, while Bledsoe ended the contest with 13 points.
 
Carleton shot 46 percent on the day and 61 percent in the second half, including 5-of-7 (71 percent) from beyond the arc. The Knights held St. Olaf to 37.9 percent overall and 26 percent (6-of-23) from long range.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton travels to Gustavus Adolphus College for a 7:00 p.m. contest on Wednesday, Jan 19.