ST. PAUL, Minn. – Hamline’s Bradley Cimperman scored 51 points and hit an improbable fade-away three pointer with a half second left in the game Monday night, resulting in an 85-82 loss for the Gustavus men’s basketball team. The Gusties drop to 6-9 overall and 6-4 in the MIAC, while the Pipers improve to 10-5 overall and 6-4 in the league.
Tied 82-82 with 25 seconds left, the Gusties turned the ball over out of bounds and gave Hamline an opportunity for the last shot. The Pipers took advantage with the last second make, erasing what was an 11-point deficit earlier in the second half.
The start of the game featured four lead changes and five ties in the first 15 minutes before the Gusties scored eight straight points for a 40-32 advantage with 2:25 on the clock. The Pipers cut the lead to two points in the final minute of the half but Jake Guse (Sr., Waseca) emphatically slammed a put-back dunk at the last second for a 42-38 halftime lead.
Hamline tied the score twice in the first three minutes of the second before the Gusties went on a 19-8 run for their largest lead of the game, 63-52, with 10:27 remaining. The Pipers slowly picked at the lead, eventually tying the score with 42 seconds left and hitting the game-winner in the final second.
The Gusties outshot the Pipers 51.6-44.8 percent from the floor, but were out-rebounded 32-29. Spencer Swanson (So., Waconia) led the Gusties with 22 points. Evan Wieker (Jr., St. Michael) added 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds and four assists.
Gustavus travels to St. Olaf on Wednesday night.