Box Score | Photos (Brace Hemmelgarn)

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Saint John's relinquished a 12-point lead with 10:32 left in regulation and fell to No. 10 St. Cloud State 78-71 in overtime on Friday, Nov. 20, in St. Cloud.

The Johnnies missed eight consecutive shots, including seven three-pointers, turned the ball over three times and failed to score during a 6:36 span before SCSU cut it to a one-point game with 3:39 left. Junior Sam Blank (Rollingstone, Minn./Winona Cotter) hit a three to give SJU a four-point lead with 2:12 left, but failed to get a shot off the rest of the second half.

The Huskies then proceeded to outscore SJU 16-9 in overtime.

Junior Sam Blank (Rollingstone, Minn./Winona Cotter) led all scorers with a career-high 21 points off the bench, 16 of which came in the first half. Sophomore Andrew Latzke (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) followed with 13 points, while junior Aaron Burtzel (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) posted his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 boards.

Jesse Fisher led five Huskies in double figures with 17. SCSU, which was ranked No. 10 in The Sporting News Division II Preseason poll, out-rebounded SJU (0-2, 0-0 MIAC) 43-34 in the contest, including a 20-12 edge on the offensive glass. The Huskies were picked to win the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NSIC) in the preseason coaches' poll released Oct. 15.

SJU shot an even 50.0 percent (5-10) from three-point range in the first half, but just three of 15 (20.0 percent) in the game's final 25 minutes.

SCSU recorded a 48-22 scoring advantage in the paint and a 25-15 scoring edge off turnovers.

The Johnnies return to action Saturday, Nov. 21, against MSU-Moorhead. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at St. Cloud State's Halenbeck Hall.