COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Gustavus men’s basketball team closed out the regular season with an 87-65 loss at Saint John’s on Wednesday night. With the loss, the Gusties finish with a 14-8 overall record and an 11-6 mark in the MIAC. Five Gusties finished the night with double-digit scoring while Evan Wieker (So., St. Michael) and Spencer Swanson (Fy., Waconia) each had seven rebounds.
Gustavus took an early 7-4 edge with Nolan Malo (Sr., Owatonna) and Pete Lundquist (Sr., Rochester) leading off the scoring. Both teams battled it out with the score tied 18-18 ten minutes in while the Gusties out rebounded 10-7.
With 8:20 left, the Johnnies took a four point edge before jumping out on a 23-15 run, to lead 49-37.
Kaleb Feahn (Sr., Waseca), Jordan Schommer (Jr., Merrifield), Wieker, Benji Lundberg (Sr., Ellendale), and Adam Biewen (So., Golden Valley) kept the Gusties in the game but Saint John’s had the advantage shooting 65 percent to the Gusties 41. Gustavus performed well on the offensive boards, out-rebounding the Johnnies 6-2 in the first half before being on the bottom of a 12 point deficit at intermission.
Lundberg breathed life back into the Gustie offense with seven points in the opening minutes of the second half. Gustavus took a timeout at 13:23 trailing by 19, as Saint John’s held an 18+ lead for the remainder of the game.
In the final six minutes of regulation Lundquist accounted for five points, Swanson added eight, and Feahn posted four before Jack Zammit (Fy. Qrendi, Malta) made a final layup in the 87-65 loss.
The Gusties will next host St. Olaf on Tuesday night at 7:45 for the the opening round of MIAC Playoffs.