Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's basketball shot a season-low 36 percent (18-for-50) from the field in a 65-59 win over Macalester on Wednesday, Feb. 3, in Collegeville.

The Johnnies (15-5, 10-5 MIAC) made only seven field goals in the second half and 30 percent (6-for-20) of its three-point attempts for the game. SJU missed 13 layups (shots in the paint), but went 23 of 29 (79.3 percent) from the free-throw line in the victory.

The last time SJU shot 36 percent, or below, from the floor and won occurred Feb. 22, 2012, at Augsburg. The Johnnies shot 34 percent (18-for-53) from the field, including the game-winning layup from Andy Burns '12 with one second remaining, to earn a 47-45 win over the Auggies in the quarterfinal round of the MIAC Playoffs.

SJU entered the game shooting 50 percent (539-for-1,080) from the field in its previous 19 games.

An off-balance three-pointer from Michael Gutierrez tied the game at 55-55 for Macalester (3-17, 1-14 MIAC) with 2:23 remaining in the game, but the Scots missed their final four shot attempts. Senior guard Mitchell Kuck (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) made a fast-break layup, the Johnnies' final field goal of the game, and the home team went 8-for-10 from the charity stripe the rest of the way.

Senior wing Joe Risinger (Shorewood, Minn./Minnetonka) led SJU with 15 points and Kuck followed with 14 points, including 10 in the second half, and added five assists. The five helpers enabled him to pass Mike Trewick (1989-93) for ninth in school history with 244 for his career.

Wyatt Ferm led all scorers with 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Scots.

SJU has now won 25 of its last 27 meetings with Mac at Sexton Arena, and 22 of the last 23 meetings overall.

The Johnnies travel to face Saint Mary's for a 3 p.m. game this Saturday, Feb. 6, in Winona.