01/07/06

The Saints used a balanced offensive attack to secure their first conference victory of the season, a 64-61 win at Presentation College in Aberdeen S.D. on Saturday afternoon.

Four Saints reached double-figures in the contest, all within 5 points of each other.

Derek Johnson led St. Scholastica with 17 points but the Saints spread the wealth evenly as Andy Schmitz had 13, while Robert Jackson and Brady Zubke both added 12.

Despite dismal shooting from the 3-point line -- only 1 of 8 -- and not even getting to the free throw line, the Saints entered halftime behind by only 3 points.

After Presentation widened the lead to 5 early in the second half, the Saints wrested the lead away at the 15:10 mark of the second -- their first lead in the game since 13:40 in the first half.

The ungracious hosts weren't going to give the game away, though, and fought back to take the largest lead of the game by either team, 7 points, with 10:53 to play.

Schmitz' 3-pointer then started the Saints on a 12-3 run that pushed the Saints into the lead with just over 6:30 to play.

St. Scholastica would stretch the lead to 7 over the final minutes and would eventually hold off Presentation for the win, their first conference victory of the season.

Like in many other games this season, the Saints played two different halves. They turned their 40% shooting from the field in the first half into a 64% advantage in the second. And their lack of success behind the 3-point arc from the first half turned around with 44% shooting in the second. They also out-rebounded the host 38-27, their largest rebounding advantage of the season.