Box Score |
Photos (Dawid Chabowski)
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John’s University junior
Aaron Burtzel (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori) recorded his second triple-double of the season and junior
Sam Blank (Rollingstone, Minn./Winona Cotter) added 20 points off the bench as the host Johnnies defeated St. Olaf 84-61 on Wednesday, Feb. 3.
Burtzel tallied 16 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists to earn the rare honor. He posted SJU’s first known triple-double in school history on Jan. 9 against Concordia-Moorhead.
Blank’s 20 points led five Johnnies (13-7, 10-5 MIAC) in double figures as the home team shot 53.2 percent (33-62) overall and made 12 three-pointers in the game. Sophomore
Andrew Latzke (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) added 15 points, while fellow sophomores
Aaron Barmore (Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson) and
Andy Burns (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) scored 10 points apiece. Blank and Latzke combined for 8 of 13 from behind in the arc.
Mark Torell led the Oles (8-12, 6-9 MIAC), who lost their fifth straight, with 17 points.
With the win, SJU head coach Jim Smith earned his 712th career victory (712-494 career record) in 46 seasons. The Johnnies are now 37-5 all-time against St. Olaf in Collegeville under his direction and have won 18 of the last 23 meetings overall.
The Johnnies travel to face Concordia-Moorhead this Saturday, Feb. 6. The game is set for 3 p.m. at the Memorial Auditorium in Moorhead.