SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus men’s basketball team hosted St. Scholastica on Saturday afternoon while honoring its four seniors on their collegiate basketball careers; Benji Lundberg (Sr., Ellendale) Nolan Malo (Sr., Owatonna), Kaleb Feahn (Sr., Waseca), and Pete Lundquist (Sr., Rochester). Gustavus won over the Saints 78-67, improving to 13-7 overall and a 10-5 mark in the conference.
Feahn led the Gustie scoring with 22 points and five rebounds, while Malo finished with a double-double posting 14 points and 11 rebounds. Lundquist and Evan Wieker (So., St. Michael) eclipsed double-digit figures with Wieker scoring 12 and Lundquist scoring 11.
Wieker, Malo, and Lundquist got the Gusties off to a strong start in a 6-2 lead. The Saints responded accordingly to gain their first one point advantage at 14:32, 9-8.
It was a back and forth affair for both teams with an impressive 14 lead changes before a Lundberg three pointer tilted the scoreboard in the Gusties favor at 34-32. Malo went up for a layup to pad the score at 36-34 before heading into intermission. Malo led the Black and Gold with 10 points and 6 rebounds at halftime.
Gustavus rallied in the second frame with Wieker adding on three points while Feahn, Malo, and Lundberg posted seven more in the 49-40 lead. The Gusties went on a 8-2 run before the Saints took a timeout with 10:28 left trailing 57-42.
Adam Biewen (So., Golden Valley), Lundberg, and Lundquist maintained the margin, combining on eight points with 6:35 left in a 62-55 lead. Feahn, Biewen, and Malo sunk a trio of free throws to pull away in the final 13-5 run.
A Lundquist dunk had fans on their feet in last three minutes of play before Feahn made a final three pointer in the 78-67 win.
The Gusties went 10-for-13 from the charity stripe, and outshot the Saints 43.5 percent to 41.9 percent from the floor.
Gustavus will next travel to Hamline on Monday night for a 7:45 tip-off against the Pipers.