SAINT PETER, Minn. – After spending the past two weeks on pause due to COVID-19 test protocols, the Gustavus men’s basketball team returns to the hardwood Sunday at No. 4 Saint John’s. Tipoff from Collegeville is set for 2 p.m. The Gusties enter the contest 0-1, while the Johnnies are 2-0.
THE SERIES: Sunday afternoon’s matchup marks the 186th meeting between the Gusties and Johnnies on the hardwood with Gustavus leading the all-time series 111-74. Saint John’s has won the last eight meetings, most recently claiming a 68-59 victory on Jan. 29, 2020 in Collegeville. In a tale of two halves, the Gusties shot 51.9 percent in the first and then dropped to 37 percent in the second. The Gusties did well on the boards, out-rebounding the Johnnies 28-27 but were outscored in the paint 46-24. Peter Lundquist scored a team-high 16 points off the bench on 8-of-11 shooting. Kaleb Feahn and Isaac Douglas added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
LAST TIME OUT: Gustavus was last in action Feb. 3, losing 67-45 at Saint Mary’s. The Gusties had a tough time converting shots from the field, particularly from three-point range, making just 3-of-25.
Gustavus started the game on the right foot, jumping out to a 12-5 lead in the first six minutes of the game to force a Saint Mary’s timeout. Peter Lundquist (Sr., Rochester) scored his eighth point at the 12:05 mark to extend the Gustie lead to 14-5, but the Cardinals responded with 18 unanswered points over the next five minutes to grab a 23-14 advantage. The home team continued to increase its lead and carried a 35-23 lead into the locker room at half.
Gustavus simply could not convert from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes, shooting just 1-of-17. The second half was more of the same as the Cardinals were able to create more separation en route to the 22-point victory.
The Gusties shot a pedestrian 25.8 percent (16-62) from the field compared to 49.1 percent (27-55) by the Cardinals. A silver lining for the Black and Gold was the trips to the free throw line, making 10-of-13. The Gusties also edged the Cardinals on the boards 40-39.
Lundquist led the Gusties with 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting, including four rebounds and four blocks. Logan Rezac (Sr., Andover) and Kaleb Feahn (Sr., Waseca) chipped in nine points apiece. Nolan Malo (Jr., Owatonna) posted a team-high seven rebounds.
SCOUTING THE JOHNNIES: Saint John’s has started its season 2-0, most recently defeating Hamline 79-75 on Feb. 6. Through two games, the Johnnies have four players averaging double figure scoring led by Zach Hanson with 24.0 points per game. Hanson also leads the team on the boards with 9.5 rebounds per game. Oakley Baker is next on the stat sheet with 17.0 points per game, while Colton Codute averages 15.0 points and Mitchell Plombon averages 12.0 points. As a team, the Johnnies average 83.0 points per game and allow 69.5 points. They shoot 57.5 percent from the field and 58.5 percent from three-point range. Defensively, the Johnnies haul in 31.0 rebounds per game with a +3.5 margin. They also distribute the ball well with 20.5 assists per game.