01/28/06

Bethany Lutheran College stopped the Saints' seven game winning streak with a 74-68 victory on their home court in Mankato in a late-afternoon Saturday conference match-up.

St. Scholastica held slim 1- to 3-point leads throughout the opening 10 minutes of the game but the Vikings would grab a 20-18 lead with just over 8 to play in the half, a lead they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the game.

With 2:43 in the half the Vikings broke open the game with an 8-0 run that propelled them to a 10 point half time lead.

The Saints, clearly a second-half team this season, chipped away at the Viking lead after half time until they were down by only 1 point with just under 13 to play.

Over the next 4 minutes Bethany Lutheran would not lead by more than 4 but the Saints were unable to come back one last time as the Vikings secured the home upset.

Andy Schmitz led the Saints with 22 points, including four 3-pointers, 3 rebounds and an assist. William Maupins snared a game high 12 rebounds and added 3 assists, two blocks and a steal.

Brady Zubke had another positive game and seems to be getting better with each contest since returning from an early season injury that caused him to miss nearly three weeks of practice. He scored 11 points against the Vikings along with 6 rebounds and an assist.

Saints scoring leader Derek Johnson was held to more than 10 points below his season average. Held scoreless in the first half, Johnson ended with 8 points for the game.

Saints big man Josh Gosar surpassed 500 career rebounds in the first half when he pulled down his fourth rebound. Finishing with five total in the game, he now has 502 rebounds in his four-year career and takes over the 5th place spot on the all-time rebounding list, passing recent star Chris Rauschenfels.

Through their seven game win streak, the Saints averaged better than 83 points per game but today's defeat was 15 points behind that mark. The loss drops the Saints to 7-2 in the conference and into a first place tie with Northwestern College.