02/16/07

Though only a 10-point win, senior Derek Johnson’s opening 3-pointer the first time down the floor gave the Saints a lead they wouldn’t relinquish in their 91-81 win over Minnesota-Morris on Friday night at the Reif Center.

Johnson finished with a game-high 33 points for St. Scholastica (11-12, 8-4 UMAC) as they swept the season series with Morris (7-16, 4-8 UMAC) for the first time since the Cougars joined the conference in 2002.

Will Maupins’ 14 points along with Johnson’s even dozen paced the Saints in the first half and pushed the team to a 40-34 halftime lead.

Morris picked up their game in the second half, improving to nearly 45 percent shooting after a 38 percent first half performance, but the Saints also caught fire, hitting 56 percent in the closing 20 minutes to hold off the visitors.

Maupins recorded yet another double-double, finishing with 15 rebounds and 29 points while fellow co-captain and junior Brady Zubke chipped in with 14 points in the Saints victory. The captain’s trio of Johnson, Maupins and Zubke combined for 76 of the team’s 91 points.

Steve Farmer led Morris with 18 points in the loss while Kevin Cunniff (16 pts.), Eric Dalby (15) and Phil Allen (15) also scored in double figures.

Their fourth consecutive win pulls the Saints even with Martin Luther College (11-12, 8-4 UMAC) for third place in the conference standings with two games to play.

St. Scholastica will play fifth place Presentation in the Reif on Saturday, then seventh place Northland College in Ashland, Wis., this coming Tuesday night to close out their regular season schedule. Meanwhile, Martin Luther has a home game against UMAC-leader Northwestern College on Saturday afternoon and their season finale on Tuesday night at second place Bethany Lutheran College.