NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Jeremy Beckler scored a game-high 20 points to lead three Knights in double figures as the Carleton College men's basketball team won its third game this week, this time picking up a 76-53 victory over visiting College of St. Scholastica.
 
This was Beckler's 20th career game with at least 20 points, a level that he has hit or surpassed in five times in the last six games. He now has 986 career points, leaving him only 14 points shy of becoming the 30th member of Carleton's 1,000-point club.
 
"A really nice team effort and win today," said Carleton head coach Ryan Kershaw. "We were as sharp on the defensive side of the ball today as we have been all season. To hold St. Scholastica to 37 percent shooting from the field was very encouraging, and we did a nice job taking care of the basketball on the offensive end."
 
Carleton (7-1, 4-1 MIAC) never trailed in the contest as Beckler scored on the first possession of the game and added a 3-pointer soon after to give the hosts an early 5-0 lead.
 
The Knights were only 6-of-18 from 3-point range in the first half but made 7-of-11 shots inside the arc over that span to carry a 33-24 advantage into halftime after holding St. Scholastica (3-5, 2-3 MIAC) scoreless for the last six minutes of the period.
 
Carleton started the second stanza with an 11-2 run and maintained at least a 13-point margin the rest of the contest. The Knights shot 52 percent in the second half, including 7-of-14 from beyond the arc.
 
The Knights committed a season-low nine turnovers, while the defense forced St. Scholastica to give the ball away 17 times en route to the Saints' second-lowest point total of the season.
 
While Beckler led the Knights in scoring, Carleton got contributions from players up and down the roster.
 
Alex Gibbens went 3-of-4 from downtown as he added 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists for the Knights. Matt Banovetz chipped in 14 points after going 4-of-8 from 3-point range. Chuck Sweat and Beck Page had eight points apiece as they combined for 10 rebounds and four assists. Brad Lee matched his season high with four points in relief of starting point guard Gabriel Cummings, who went out with an injury less than two minutes into the game.
 
Defensive whiz Spencer Goetz had a career-best five steals while holding Nick Carlson, St. Scholastica's leading scorer this season, to only eight points, less than half of his season average coming into the day.
 
Noah Winesett was the lone Saint in double figures, finishing with 18 points off the bench as he went 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton will visit University of Northwestern for a 7:30 p.m. contest on Tuesday, Dec. 13. The Knights will then take a break from action until hosting Bethany Lutheran College at 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 30.