NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Luke Harris had 23 points and Matt Banovetz matched that scoring total and added 12 rebounds for his fifth career double-double as the Carleton College men's basketball team traveled to crosstown rival St. Olaf College and came home with a 70-66 victory in double overtime.
 
The victory ensures that the Goat Trophy will stay in the Knights' possession for another year. Carleton has held the keepsake since sweeping the 2019-20 season series with victories on Jan. 11 and Feb. 15, 2020. Interestingly, that latter contest was the last time that the home team won a game in this rivalry series.
 
This is the also first time since Feb. 18, 2012 that these foes were tied after regulation, and this is believed to be the first time in series history (dating back to the 1909-10 season) that the teams required two overtime periods to determine a victor. The Knights (3-3, 1-2 MIAC) now hold a 124-99 edge in the all-time series.
 
Tonight's back-and-forth game was close throughout and featured 13 ties with 12 lead changes as neither side led by more than five points.
 
Carleton shot 34.8 percent overall and 31.8 percent (7-of-22) from 3-point range. St. Olaf (2-5, 1-3 MIAC) connected on 35.8 percent of its shots overall and turned in a 11-of-33 (33.3 percent) performance beyond the arc. The Knights made 17-of-22 free throws (77.3 percent), while the Oles were only 7-of-14 (50 percent). Carleton committed only eight turnovers in the contest and forced St. Olaf into 16 miscues.
 
The Knights made the game's first two baskets, but St. Olaf countered with a 10-2 run before a Banovetz triple and a Spencer Goetz layup inched the visitors back in front at 11-10.
 
The Oles led by five points on four occasions during the first half, including a 29-24 advantage at halftime.
 
Banovetz drained a 3-pointer to give Carleton a 38-35 lead six minutes into the second half, the Knights' first lead in nearly 20 minutes of game action. The visitors played from in front until St. Olaf use a two-minute, 8-0 run to rebuild a 51-46 advantage with 7:39 to go.
 
Sam Koelling made a triple and Banovetz converted inside to knot the score again at 51-51 by the 6:13 mark.
 
Carleton went without a field goal over the remainder of regulation as the Knights' next five points all came at the free throw line. Fortunately, the defense limited the Oles to a 1-of-6 shooting performance from the floor and induced four turnovers over the same six-minute period.
 
Harris swished a pair of free throws with 0:19 left to tie the game at 56-56, and Kobe Kirk missed a potential game-winning shot for the Oles.
 
Connor Martin opened the first overtime with a 3-pointer to give St. Olaf a three-point lead, but Harris answered with a triple of his own. After Kirk went 1-of-2 at the line, Harris and Goetz converted four straight at the stripe for the Knights. Kirk leveled the score at 63-63 via a 3-pointer with 0:29 left. Carleton was unable to score on its final possession, and the team's headed to the second overtime.
 
Trailing 66-65 with 1:19 on the clock in the second extra stanza, Harris drained his third 3-pointer of the contest to push Carleton in front to stay. Goetz came up with a crucial offensive rebound with less than 0:25 remaining, and Alex Gibbens iced the game with two free throws before the Knights made a final defensive stand to seal the victory.
 
Banovetz's 23-point effort was a season high and his sixth career game with 20-plus points. Harris surpassed the 20-point barrier for the fifth time on the campaign. Koelling added 12 points, while Goetz chipped in eight points, seven boards, and a game-high six assists.
 
Kirk and Martin both had double-doubles for the Oles with the former finishing with 23 points and 10 boards while the latter had 13 points and 12 rebouds.

Up Next for the Knights
Carleton will head back out on the road and visit Augsburg University for a 7 p.m. tipoff in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 6.