COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Carleton College men's basketball team was stymied on the road by Saint John's University, losing 81-58.
Carleton (12-10, 8-5 MIAC) got the game's first bucket, but Saint John's (12-10, 8-5 MIAC) peeled off a 12-2 run in response for a 12-5 edge with 13:23 still to go before intermission. The Johnnies held Carleton's offense at bay for much of the first half. The Knights got 10 points in the final 3:26, but the Johnnies answered every bucket for a 41-23 halftime edge.
An 8-0 run early in the second half gave Saint John's plenty of cushion, and the Johnnies held off a late push from the Knights' substitutes to take home the win.
Josh Xiang scored his first collegiate points in the second frame and went on to post 10 points in 10 minutes off the bench.
Matt Drake scored 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting,
Josh Engelberg tallied 10 points, and
Sam Koelling neared a double-double with nine points and 11 boards.
The Knights' offense, which has the second-best field goal percentage in the conference this season, sputtered in Collegeville, making 36.8 percent of its field goals and 3-of-16 (18.8 percent) 3-pointers. The Johnnies shot 45.6 percent overall, and their control of the paint overcame a 23.5 percent performance from deep (8-for-34). The hosts outrebounded Carleton 44-32 and narrowly won the turnover battle, forcing 14 Knights turnovers to 13 of their own.
Peyton Podany led the game with 20 points, and Vincent Hillesheim joined him in double figures with 17 points. Baiden Bean handed out 11 assists, the second-most by a MIAC player this season.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton concludes a tough road trip by facing MIAC leader and national No. 8-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m.
